\n<\/p>\n
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nBird Song of the Day<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Brown Thrasher, Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary, Frederick, Maryland, United States. \u201cVery liquid sound to this birds song. Nice. Human voices and Fish crows in background.\u201d Cows, too.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/strong> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#table\">New Covid data<\/a>, Covid and <a href=\"#mortality\">mortality<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#zeitgeist\">LA Palisades Fire<\/a>: Misinformation.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#class\">SEIU joins AFL-CIO<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo many of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in fact a rational management of symbolic capital.\u201d \u2013Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Trump Transition<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"105.00327064595\">\n<p>\u201cTrump discusses his viral moment with Obama\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/live-updates\/2025\/01\/09\/congress\/trump-and-obamas-moment-00197472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Politico<\/a>]. \u201cThe president-elect was asked about it later in a Fox News interview from his home in Florida. \u2018It did look very friendly, I must say,\u2019 Trump said. \u2018I didn\u2019t realize how friendly it looked. I saw it on your wonderful network, just a little while ago before I came in and I said \u2018Boy, they look like two people that like each other.\u2019 And we probably do,\u201d he said. Trump didn\u2019t say what he and Obama were talking about in the viral moment. \u2018We have little different philosophies, right? I don\u2019t know, we just got along. But I got along with everybody on that. You know we met backstage before we went on, and I thought it was a beautiful service, but we all got along very well.’\u201d \u2022\u00a0Meanwhile, the lipreader once more\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHere\u2019s what Trump has to say about that viral exchange with Barack Obama at Jimmy Carter\u2019s funeral\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/10\/us-news\/what-trump-has-to-say-about-that-viral-exchange-with-obama-at-jimmy-carters-funeral\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Post<\/a>]. \u201cForensic lip reader Jeremy Freeman told The Post Thursday that it\u2019s possible they were wary of cameras being pointed at them as they sat shoulder to shoulder and wanted to appear cordial. Freeman said the two were possibly chatting about international agreements. At one point, Trump leaned toward Obama and said, \u2018I\u2019ve pulled out of that. It\u2019s the conditions. Can you imagine that?\u2019 Trump didn\u2019t dive into the specifics of the friendly chat. Obama laughed as Trump added, \u2018And after, I will.\u2019 \u2018Call me at after, yep,\u2019 Trump said, to which Obama replied, \u2018Can you just \u2026 it should be good.\u2019 \u2018I can\u2019t talk, we have to find a quiet place sometime. This is a matter of importance, and we need to do this outside so that we can deal with it, certainly, today,\u2019 Trump allegedly said as Obama nodded.\u201d \u2022 But what the heck is \u201cthe foy\u201d? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/foy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Foy<\/a> means \u201cfeast,\u201d but it\u2019s chiefly Scottish. Something at Trump\u2019s golf course?!\u201d Or<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/maggiewestrum\/status\/1877487938541388242\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> Claire Foy<\/a>? (I thought I had the answer when \u201cFOIA\u201d popped into my head, but that amkes no sense in context.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cDOGE is dispatching agents across U.S. government\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/0wCQS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WaPo<\/a>]. \u201cElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are sending representatives to agencies across the federal government, four people familiar with the matter said, to begin preliminary interviews that will shape the tech executives\u2019 enormous ambitions to tame Washington\u2019s sprawling bureaucracy. In recent days, aides with the nongovernmental [but not a corporation, not a 501(c)(3), not a private club, so what?] \u2018Department [sic] of Government Efficiency\u2019 tied to [which means?] President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s transition team have spoken with staffers at more than a dozen federal agencies, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media. The agencies include the Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service and the departments of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services, the people said.\u201d Spoken under what authority? Elon\u2019s mom? More: \u201cAt the same time, Musk and Ramaswamy have significantly stepped up hiring for their new entity [Oh, DOGE is an entity], with more than 50 staffers already working out of the offices of SpaceX, Musk\u2019s rocket-building company, in downtown Washington, two of the people said. DOGE aims to have a staff of close to 100 people in place by Trump\u2019s inauguration on Jan. 20, they said. While much about DOGE remains unclear [that is, we don\u2019t know under what authority] \u2014 including who is paying the salaries of these staffers or exactly how DOGE representatives work with the formal transition team \u2014 the agency outreach reflects intensifying efforts by Musk and Ramaswamy to propose what they say will be \u201cdrastic\u201d cuts to federal spending and regulations.\u201d \u2022 One wonders what the DOGE onboard process is like, and whether, for example, it takes conflict of interest into account.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs Elon Musk the most powerful civilian since Rasputin?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2025\/01\/10\/ever-been-more-powerful-civilian-than-elon-musk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Telegraph<\/a>]. \u201cHistory is scattered with \u2018civilians\u2019 for whom self-regard and extreme wealth fed a sense of megalomania that made them think they should, and could, change the political process. Sometimes they managed to stay on the right side of the line of propriety and, by using their wealth to do good works, did great public services. Sometimes their power came through displaying huge moral courage that inspired a following, and not wealth, and they circumvented the political class and changed the world for the better. Often it ended badly, in degrees of humiliation or even death [yikes], as their determination to influence statecraft met resistance or ridicule from those supporting conventional politics. Take, for example, Grigory Rasputin\u2026.\u201d \u2022 Take Rasputin. Please!<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cGabbard reverses course on key intel-gathering tool as nomination teeters\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/punchbowl.news\/article\/senate\/gabbard-changes-stance-on-section-702\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Punchbowl<\/a>]. \u201cFormer Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nominee for director of national intelligence, is changing her tune on a key intelligence-gathering authority she once sought to repeal as her Senate confirmation hangs in the balance. Gabbard\u2019s past criticisms of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act have emerged as a central issue in her confirmation process, leaving GOP senators \u2014 including some in leadership \u2014 increasingly skeptical about the former Democrat\u2019s confirmation prospects. In her first public comments since being nominated, Gabbard told us in an exclusive statement that she now supports Section 702, saying the program is \u2018crucial\u2019 and \u2018must be safeguarded to protect our nation while ensuring the civil liberties of Americans.\u2019 ;If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans\u2019 Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people,\u2019 Gabbard said. In private meetings, senators are questioning Gabbard about legislation she introduced in 2020 that would repeal Section 702. However, Gabbard now appears to be walking that back, citing Fourth Amendment protections implemented since then to prevent the incidental collection of Americans\u2019 data.\u201d \u2022 Looks like some Republicans love spooks just as much as Democrats do.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow Trump Came Around to Crypto \u2014 and What Crypto Wants in Return\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/JiAEo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Bloomberg<\/a>]. \u201cTrump nominated crypto supporter Paul Atkins to replace Gensler, and that announcement helped Bitcoin climb above $100,000 for the first time. The president-elect nominated David Sacks to the newly created position of artificial intelligence and crypto czar. Trump is also creating a crypto advisory group, made up of backers of the industry. Trump said in a December Truth Social post that Bo Hines will be the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, reporting to Sacks. Trump said he plans to have the US government keep rather than sell Bitcoin holdings seized by law enforcement, making these assets the basis of a so-called strategic Bitcoin stockpile. Trump has also said he would like all Bitcoin to be mined in the US; this promise may prove difficult to fulfill due to the reality of decentralized networks and cheaper costs of energy in other parts of the world.\u201d \u2022 \u201cStrategic Bitcoin\u201d my Sweet Aunt Fanny.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Lawfare<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"11.891156462585\">\n<p>\u201cTrump sentenced to unconditional discharge in New York hush money case, avoiding jail\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/01\/10\/trump-sentencing-new-york-hush-money-case.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNBC<\/a>]. \u201cPresident-elect Donald Trump was sentenced without any penalties Friday in his New York criminal hush money case, 10 days before his inauguration for a second White House term. Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to \u201cunconditional discharge,\u201d meaning no jail, no probation and no fine.\u201d \u2022 Entirely appropriate for Hitler!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Democrats <em>en d\u00e9shabill\u00e9<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"20.150034891835\">\n<p>\u201cOpening the DNC\u2019s Black Box\u201d [Micah Sifrey, <a href=\"https:\/\/prospect.org\/politics\/2025-01-10-opening-dncs-black-box\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The American Prospect<\/a>]. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/dnc-chair-jaime-harrison-sets-out-first-steps-in-process-for-electing-incoming-chair-dnc-officers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">According to the DNC<\/a>, there are 448 active members of the national committee, including 200 elected members from 57 states, territories, and Democrats Abroad; members representing 16 affiliate groups; and 73 \u2018at-large\u2019 members who were elected as a slate appointed in 2021 by the party chairman, Jaime Harrison. For a party that claims the word \u2018democratic\u2019 and insists that it is a champion of transparency and accountability in government, the official roster of these 448 voters is not public. Michael Kapp, a DNC member from California who was first elected to that position by his state party\u2019s executive committee in 2016, told me the list isn\u2019t public \u2018because it\u2019s the DNC\u2014it\u2019s a black box.\u2019 He told me that leadership holds tightly to the list to prevent any organizing beyond their control. Today, we\u2019re going to open up the DNC\u2019s black box. The list <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1bQKIP3W1NWChRjSbsE0O5k5s7OdgXrJi5-CMfFECIBU\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">we are publishing<\/a> was leaked to me by a trusted source with long experience with the national party. Like Kapp, this person thinks it\u2019s absurd that the party\u2019s roster of voting members is secret. Indeed, since there is no official public list, each of the candidates running for chair and other positions has undoubtedly had to create their own tallies from scratch\u2014making it very likely our list comes from a candidate\u2019s whip operation.\u201d \u2022 Anyone we know?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Realignment and Legitimacy<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"13.770689655172\">\n<p>\u201cThe Unstoppable Rise of Energy Realism\u201d [Ruy Teixeira, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liberalpatriot.com\/p\/the-unstoppable-rise-of-energy-realism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Liberal Patriot<\/a>]. \u201cFor the last decade, Democrats and the left have ever more eagerly embraced a climate catastrophist narrative on energy policy\u2026. So what have the Democrats gained from their fervent advocacy for climate catastrophism? Not much\u2026. Nor have Democrats been rewarded with a political bonanza for their embrace of climate catastrophism. Quite the contrary. They just lost the presidential election to an opponent who says \u201cdrill, baby, drill\u201d and whose priority is cheap, abundant energy\u2014not clean energy\u2026. Can Democrats wean themselves away from climate catastrophism and their obsession with net zero? It could be difficult. Their net zero commitment stems from the extremely high priority placed on this goal by the educated elites and activists who now dominate the party. These elites and activists\u2014unlike working-class voters\u2014believe that nothing is more important than stopping global warming since it is not just a problem, but an \u2018existential crisis\u2019 that must be confronted as rapidly as possible to prevent a global apocalypse.\u201d \u2022 Much to ponder.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Syndemics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am in earnest \u2014 I will not equivocate \u2014 I will not excuse \u2014 I will not retreat a single inch \u2014 AND I WILL BE HEARD.\u201d \u2013William Lloyd Garrison<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Covid Resources, United States (National): Transmission (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#county-view?list_select_state=all_states&list_select_county=all_counties&data-type=Risk&null=Risk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>); Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>, <del><a href=\"https:\/\/biobot.io\/data\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Biobot<\/a><\/del>; includes many counties; <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wastewater Scan<\/a>, includes drilldown by zip); Variants (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/businesssolutions\/covid-19-index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a>); \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/iowacovid19tracker.org\/hospitals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Iowa COVID-19 Tracker<\/a>\u201d (in IA, but national data). \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/icemsg.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Infection Control, Emergency Management, Safety, and General Thoughts<\/a>\u201d (especially on hospitalization by city).<\/p>\n<p>Lambert here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To update any entry, do feel free to contact me at the address given with the plants. Please put \u201cCOVID\u201d in the subject line. Thank you!<\/p>\n<p>Resources, United States (Local): AK (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/af2efc8bffbf4cdc83c2d1a134354074\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/6d2771faa9da4a2786a509d82c8cf0f7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AR (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/633006d0782b4544bd5113a314f6268a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AZ (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azdhs.gov\/covid19\/data\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); CA (<a href=\"https:\/\/skylab.cdph.ca.gov\/calwws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.marinhhs.org\/surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Marin, dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/healthalerts.stanford.edu\/covid-19\/wastewater-dashboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Stanford, wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/?v=SC2_N&l=Oakland%2C+CA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Oakland, wastewater<\/a>); CO (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.colorado.gov\/data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/d79cf93c3938470ca4bcc4823328946b#utility=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); CT (<a href=\"https:\/\/data.ct.gov\/stories\/s\/COVID-19-data\/wa3g-tfvc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); DE (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.delaware.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); FL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/5b9d75ba683849928dc1a49c39ab0b1c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); GA (<a href=\"https:\/\/dph.georgia.gov\/ga-nwss-wastewater-surveillance-reports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); HI (<a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); IA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmmwra.org\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=57\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater reports<\/a>); ID (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Boise; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/?plantId=1056f05c-0e46-4e3d-b007-c0453ba7dc0d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Central Idaho; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/#:SARS-CoV-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Coeur d\u2019Alene; dashboard, <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.srhd.org\/topics\/spokane-county-case-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Spokane County<\/a>); IL (<a href=\"https:\/\/iwss.uillinois.edu\/wastewater-treatment-plants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); IN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.in.gov\/indiana-covid-19-dashboard-and-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); KS (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov\/160\/COVID-19-in-Kansas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/4456bae8a38f4b6180e008477382fff9\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Lawrence); KY (<a href=\"https:\/\/louisville.edu\/envirome\/thecoimmunityproject\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Louisville); LA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ldh.la.gov\/coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/covid-19-wastewater-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MD (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.maryland.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); ME (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/dhhs\/mecdc\/infectious-disease\/epi\/airborne\/coronavirus\/data.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/coronavirus\/stats\/wastewater-surveillance\/dashboard\/sentinel-wastewater-epidemiology-evaluation-project-sweep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/gisportal.state.mi.us\/portal\/apps\/insights\/index.html#\/view\/52bbb104ed574887918f990af9f3debe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/diseases\/coronavirus\/stats\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MO (<a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/f7f5492486114da6b5d6fdc07f81aacf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MS (<a href=\"https:\/\/msdh.ms.gov\/page\/14,0,420.html#Mississippi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>MT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/MapSeries\/index.html?appid=7c34f3412536439491adcc2103421d4b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; NC (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.ncdhhs.gov\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard)<\/a>; ND (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NE (<a href=\"https:\/\/atlas-dhhs.ne.gov\/Atlas\/Respiratory_Illness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NH (<a href=\"https:\/\/wisdom.dhhs.nh.gov\/wisdom\/dashboard.html?topic=covid-19&subtopic=recurring-updates&indicator=covid-19-wastewater#tabnavbarid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NJ (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.nj.gov\/forms\/datadashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NM (<a href=\"https:\/\/cvprovider.nmhealth.org\/public-dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NV (<a href=\"https:\/\/nvhealthresponse.nv.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/empower.unlv.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Southern NV); NY (<a href=\"https:\/\/mbcolli.shinyapps.io\/SARS2EWSP\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OH (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.ohio.gov\/dashboards\/other-resources\/wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OK (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/51657c21386d4f1a962b1853c76ec589\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>OR (<a href=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/app\/profile\/oregon.health.authority.covid.19\/viz\/OregonsCOVID-19DataDashboards-TableofContents\/TableofContentsStatewide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; PA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.pa.gov\/topics\/disease\/coronavirus\/pages\/Cases.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); RI (<a href=\"https:\/\/ri-department-of-health-covid-19-data-rihealth.hub.arcgis.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SC (<a href=\"https:\/\/scdhec.gov\/index.php\/covid19\/covid-19-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SD (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.sd.gov\/COVID\/Dashboard.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tn.gov\/health\/cedep\/ncov\/data.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TX (<a href=\"https:\/\/txdshsea.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/4ae43eefd0f641d59d35c3df82ee59cc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); UT (<a href=\"https:\/\/avrpublic.dhhs.utah.gov\/uwss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); VA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/coronavirus\/sars-cov-2-in-wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); VT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthvermont.gov\/disease-control\/covid-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WA (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.wa.gov\/emergencies\/covid-19\/data-dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.bfhd.wa.gov\/cases-and-roadmap-to-recovery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.wisconsin.gov\/covid-19\/wastewater.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); WV (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/oehs.wvdhhr.org\/news\/oehs-coivd-19-information\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>); WY (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/covidwastewatermonitor.wyo.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/health-infobase.canada.ca\/covid-19\/wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Government of Canada<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publichealthontario.ca\/en\/Data-and-Analysis\/Infectious-Disease\/COVID-19-Data-Surveillance\/Wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); QC (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspq.qc.ca\/covid-19\/donnees\/eaux-usees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><em>les eaux us\u00e9es<\/em><\/a>); BC (<a href=\"https:\/\/bccdc.shinyapps.io\/respiratory_wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); BC, Vancouver (<a href=\"https:\/\/metrovancouver.org\/services\/liquid-waste\/testing-for-the-covid-19-virus-in-wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Hat tips to helpful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, KF, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, thump, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3). <\/p>\n<p>Stay safe out there!<\/p>\n<p> Airborne Transmission<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"17.553524804178\">\n<p>\u201cScience tells us that portable air filters reduce infections. It\u2019s time for public health authorities to make this clear\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1876034124003848?utm_campaign=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&utm_medium=email&utm_acid=102522945&SIS_ID=&dgcid=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&CMX_ID=&utm_in=DM534787&utm_source=AC_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Journal of Infection and Public Health<\/a>]. \u201cOver the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian public health advisors and decision-makers have shared conflicted and confusing messages about the effectiveness of portable air filters (PAFs) in controlling the spread of airborne infectious diseases\u2026 Diseases such as COVID-19 are transmitted through respiratory particles that contain infectious material. If these particles come in contact with the mucous membranes of a susceptible individual, there is a risk of infection. In general, there is a dose-response relationship\u2014the more infectious material in the air, the greater the risk of infection. Thus, any mitigation measures that remove these particles from the air (or inactivate infectious materials) will reduce the risk of transmission\u2026 This science is supported by decades of research and public health and health care practice demonstrating the effectiveness of PAFs in reducing the transmission of airborne diseases\u2026. While evidence demonstrates that filtration reduces concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the air, this research should not have been required by public health authorities before implementation. PAFs, like other engineering interventions such as seat belts, parachutes and bridges, are designed and evaluated according to the laws of physics.\u201d \u2022 Savage indictment of public health and hospital infection control,<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Morbidity and Mortality<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"21.153499795334\">\n<p><a name=\"mortality\"\/>\u201cThe future of excess mortality after COVID-19\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.swissre.com\/institute\/research\/topics-and-risk-dialogues\/health-and-longevity\/covid-19-pandemic-synonymous-excess-mortality.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Swiss Re Institute<\/a>]. \u201cFour years on from the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, many countries worldwide still report elevated deaths in their populations. This impact appears generally independent of healthcare systems and population health. This trend is evident even after accounting for shifting population sizes, and the range of reporting mechanisms and death classifications that make inter-country comparisons complex. There is also likely a degree of excess mortality under-reporting\u2026. This represents a potential challenge for Life and Health (L&H) insurance, with potentially several years of elevated mortality claims ahead, depending on how general population trends translate into the insured population. Ongoing excess mortality can have implications for L&H insurance claims and reserves. Excess mortality that continues to exceed current expectations may affect the long-term performance of in-force life portfolios as well as the pricing of new life policies.\u201d And: \u201cOur general population forecasts suggest that excess mortality will gradually tail off by 2033, to 0\u20133% in the US and 0\u20132.5% in the UK. In comparison, by our calculation excess mortality in 2023 was in the range of 3\u20137% for the US, and 5\u20138% in the UK. Under an optimistic scenario, we find that US and UK pandemic-linked excess mortality would disappear by 2028, reverting to pre-pandemic mortality expectations. Under a pessimistic scenario, we expect excess mortality to remain elevated until 2033, above pre-pandemic expectations.\u201d \u2022 Handy chart:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"2.9417040358744\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"8.0896860986547\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">How the Pandemic Increased US Deaths!<br \/>Visualized in 8 charts by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jwgale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@jwgale<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@business<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>1. The Covid Pandemic Fueled a 4-Year Mortality Surge in the US <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/H6CW6ya0sO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/H6CW6ya0sO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ziyad Al-Aly, MD (@zalaly) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zalaly\/status\/1873526791148818483\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">December 30, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMortality in First Eight Months of 2024 2% Higher Than Predicted\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.actuaries.digital\/2024\/12\/17\/mortality-in-first-eight-months-of-2024-2-higher-than-predicted\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Actuaries Digital<\/a>]. Australia. The Abstract:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>In summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li>For the first eight months of 2024, against a baseline that includes anticipated COVID-19 deaths:\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li>total mortality was 2% higher than predicted;<\/li>\n<li>COVID-19 mortality was 70% higher than predicted;<\/li>\n<li>Non-COVID respiratory mortality was 8% higher than predicted, with pneumonia deaths 14% higher; and<\/li>\n<li>these outcomes are all statistically significant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>There have been five deaths from COVID-19 for every death from influenza.<\/li>\n<li>Mortality from non-respiratory causes has been close to predicted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Elite Maleficence<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"7.4752066115702\">\n<p>Mandy Cohen visits Nassau County:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"3.7840909090909\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"10.090909090909\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u23ea to when I visited a wastewater facility in Nassau County in November 2023. Learn more about how this tool helps us better understand & track diseases at the local level \ud83d\udc47 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/y9vqEGkW0R\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/y9vqEGkW0R<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CDCDirector\/status\/1877777575197495404\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m happy Cohen gave wastewater testing some needed publicity, but this would have been a good time to wear a mask as a sign of resistance to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2024\/08\/mask-bans-slowly-spread-cough-cough-in-states-and-localities.html\">Nassau County\u2019s anti-masking ordinance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"table\"\/><strong>TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody wp_automatic_readability=\"11.371916508539\">\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Wastewater<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.625\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> This week[1] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 30<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Last week[2] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> (until next week):<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284945\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-300x187.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" style=\"align: left; margin-left: 0px !important; padding: 9px 0 9px 0;\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6619718309859\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong> Variants<\/strong> [3] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 21<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> <strong>Emergency Room Visits<\/strong>[4] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#trends_select_7dayeddiagnosed_00\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1-300x177.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl-300x159.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Hospitalization<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.8139534883721\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> New York[5] <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.health.ny.gov\/daily-hospitalization-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York State<\/a>, data January 9:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> National [6] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/covidnetdashboard\/de\/powerbi\/dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> Janurary 9, 2005:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl-287x300.png 287w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Positivity<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"2.5294117647059\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> National[7] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/healthcare-solutions\/covid-19-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a> January 6:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Ohio[8] <a href=\"https:\/\/clevelandcliniclabs.com\/respiratory-virus-surveillance-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Cleveland Clinic<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"340\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1-300x170.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"428\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1-300x214.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Travelers Data<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6417910447761\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> <span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Positivity[9] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 23:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Variants[10] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Deaths<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.7735849056604\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronadisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl-300x182.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed-300x184.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<td wp_automatic_readability=\"185.25162868082\">\n<p><strong>LEGEND<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1) <span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> for charts new today; all others are not updated.<\/p>\n<p>2) For a full-size\/full-resolution image, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Windows) on the chart thumbnail and \u201copen image in new tab.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[1] (CDC) Seeing more red and more orange, but nothing new at major hubs. <\/p>\n<p>[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n<p>[3] (CDC Variants) XEC takes over. That WHO label, \u201cOmmicron,\u201d has done a great job normalizing successive waves of infection.<\/p>\n<p>[4] (ED) A little uptick.<\/p>\n<p>[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Definitely jumped.<\/p>\n<p>[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[8] (Cleveland) Continued upward trend since, well, Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[10] (Travelers: Variants). Positivity is new, but variants have not yet been released.<\/p>\n<p>[11] Deaths low, positivity leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[12] Deaths low, ED leveling out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stats Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Employment Situation: \u201cUnited States Unemployment Rate\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/tradingeconomics.com\/united-states\/unemployment-rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Trading Economics<\/a>]. \u201cThe unemployment rate in the United States went down to 4.1% in December of 2024 from 4.2% in the previous month, below market expectations of 4.2%.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cFAA says up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aerotime.aero\/articles\/faa-airworthiness-directive-boeing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Aerotime<\/a>]. \u201cThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections as part of an Airworthiness Directive (AD). The AD, issued on January 8, 2025, raised concerns over landing gear on US-registered 767-200s, 767-300s and 767-300 Freighters following an incident during maintenance. According to the FAA, the AD was \u2018prompted by a report of a main landing gear (MLG) collapse event following maintenance where a grinder was operating outside of its input parameters, resulting in possible heat damage to the outer cylinder of the MLG.’\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cAirbus Tops Rival Boeing with 766 Jet Deliveries in 2024\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/reuters\/airbus-tops-rival-boeing-with-766-jet-deliveries-in-2024\/91105637\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Inc<\/a>]. \u201cAirbus delivered 766 jets in 2024 and looked certain to maintain leadership of the jetmaking industry for a sixth year as arch-rival Boeing recovers cautiously from a prolonged internal crisis, company data showed.\u201d But importantly: \u201cAerospace supply chains have been under pressure due in part to an exodus of experienced workers during the pandemic, with aviation competing with other sectors to recruit new labour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tech: \u201cPredictions Scorecard, 2025 January 01\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/rodneybrooks.com\/predictions-scorecard-2025-january-01\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Rodney Brooks<\/a>]. Fun stuff. Here is a handy chart of failed predictions for robot cars:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"311\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless-300x156.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Legend: Dates in parens: When prediction was made. Dates in blue: When prediction will come true. Pink shading: Wrong prediction. Orange arrow: retraction. <\/p>\n<p>And the kicker:<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"11\">\n<p>Pro tip: Think about this history of industry prognostications about fully autonomous driving being just around the corner when you read today\u2019s prognostications about LLMs taking jobs, en masse, in the next couple of years, or humanoid robots being dirt cheap and being able to learn how to do any human manual task real real soon now. You know you have seen this movie before\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Very much worth reading in full (The author is <a href=\"https:\/\/people.csail.mit.edu\/brooks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Panasonic Professor of Robotics emeritus<\/a> at MIT).<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s Fear & Greed Index: 28 Fear (previous close: 32 Fear) [<a href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/data\/fear-and-greed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNN<\/a>]. One week ago: 33 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Jan 10 at 3:28:04 PM ET.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"zeitgeist\"\/><strong>Zeitgeist Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thank you, Mr. Presidents:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"1.3461538461538\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.3076923076923\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s over for Gavin <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kTPAOU96uA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/kTPAOU96uA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1877743988112777442\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Lord knows I hold no brief for California Democrats (\u201cEverything is like CalPERS\u201d). But this is so over-the-top my tendency is to discount any Republican coverage of the California fires to zero. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia wildfires: Police shoot down celebrities floating arson theories\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/california-wildfires-police-shoot-down-celebrities-floating-arson-theories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">FOX<\/a>]. \u201c\u2018THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,\u2019 actor Henry Winkler wrote on Wednesday on X. \u2018May you be beaten you unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!\u2019 Actress Alison Sweeney simply responded, \u2018agreed.\u2019 Singer Chris Brown took to his Instagram stories on Thursday and wrote, \u2018Someone starting these fires. S\u2014 don\u2019t add up.\u2019 \u2018Dancing with the Stars\u2019 pro Peta Murgatroyd shared a tweet that was originally posted by political and cultural media personality Xaviaer DuRousseau that reads: \u2018LOS ANGELES \/ SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE MEN GOING AROUND IN SKI MASKS STARTING FIRES. KEEP AN EYE OUT.\u201d But: \u201cDespite the various claims, the Los Angeles Police Department told Fox News Digital, \u201cWe have not received any reports of arson.’\u201d \u2022 I don\u2019t know why we\u2019d believe actors on this, any more than, say, mainstream economists (of whom, see below). Then again\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHomeless man with \u2018flamethrower\u2019 busted on suspicion of arson near LA\u2019s Kenneth Fire after residents detain him\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/09\/us-news\/kenneth-fire-in-west-hollywood-hills-being-probed-as-arson-1-in-custody-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Post<\/a>]. \u201cOne witness told Fox 11 that the suspect was \u2018very focused on moving forward\u2019 with what the described as being more like a blowtorch. \u2018He was like, \u2018I can\u2019t stop. I can\u2019t stop. I\u2019m not putting this down. I\u2019m doing this,\u201d the witness said. \u2018And we\u2019re like, \u2018We can\u2019t be doing that right now.’\u201d So a citizens arrest is performed: \u201cSoon after the suspect was taken into custody, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed it was investigating the Kenneth Fire as likely arson. \u2018At this time, that\u2019s what we believe. It\u2019s being investigated as a crime,\u2019 LAPD Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse initially told KTLA. The major crimes squad was brought in because he was \u2018a possible arson suspect,\u2019 LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi told reporters in an update later Friday. However, the homeless man had so-far only been arrested on a felony parole violation because \u2018there was not enough probable cause to arrest this person on arson or suspicion on arson,\u2019 Choi said. \u2018This investigation is ongoing, however,\u2019 he stressed, thanking the citizens who tackled him and called it in. It was not immediately clear what felony the suspect, who has still yet to be publicly identified, was on parole for.\u201d \u2022 So, the Kenneth fire, and I imagine that Winkler, et al., are thinking of the Palisades fire. That said, my priors did kick in. Reinforced as they constantly are\u2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEconomists Are in the Wilderness. Can They Find a Way Back to Influence?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/01\/10\/business\/economy\/economists-politics-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.oE4.6jlt.KRS65--CQgjV&smid=url-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Times<\/a>]. \u2022 Never have I felt happier to know of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Betteridge\u2019s Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"class\"\/><strong>Class Warfare<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Labor Movement Just Notched Two Big Wins\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/politics\/the-labor-movement-just-notched-two-big-wins\/ar-BB1rdEmO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The New Republic<\/a>]. \u201cOne so seldom has the opportunity to report good news about labor unions that when two good things happen in the space of 24 hours that\u2019s a triumph. The first is a rebuke to the incoming Trump administration. The second is an unacknowledged favor to it (but, more importantly, to the nation as well). Item One is that the Service Employees International Union, reversing a bad decision 20 years ago to disaffiliate with the AFL-CIO, is rejoining the labor federation. Even Andy Stern, who as SEIU president took the union out of the AFL-CIO and sought (in the end, unsuccessfully) to build a rival federation called Change to Win with the Teamsters and five smaller unions, said Wednesday that this is \u2018an appropriate time to unite SEIU\u2019s strength with other unions.\u2019 The move will expand AFL-CIO membership from nearly 13 million to nearly 15 million. (Change to Win was a bust. It lost most of its affiliates, stopped calling itself a labor federation, and now operates as something called the Strategic Organizing Center.) Item Two is that the International Longshoremen\u2019s Association, or ILA, which represents dockworkers on the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, reached a deal on a new contract, averting a second dockworker strike. The first strike, in October, lasted three days before a wage deal was reached under heavy pressure on management from the Biden White House, with further negotiations postponed until after the presidential election.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cInmates Can Make Up Nearly A Third Of Those Fighting California Fires\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/dougmelville\/2025\/01\/09\/inmates-makes-up-nearly-a-third-of-those-fighting-la-fires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Forbes<\/a>]. \u201cWhile the 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States, a loophole allows people convicted of crimes to be forced to work for public or private enterprises. In this case, those tasked with firefighting volunteer for those positions and must meet certain criteria. They are not assigned without their consent. Their pay scale was doubled in 2023, and depending on the skill level and the task assigned, they either receive $0.16 to $0.74 an hour or a maximum day rate of $5.80 to $10.24. Most of their lunches consist of a simple sandwich\u2014two pieces of white bread with a few slices of bologna\u2014plus an apple. Their daily food budget of approximately $4 per day is hardly enough to sustain them for their high volume of manual labor. Incarcerated firefighters have some of the highest injury rates among all prison workers and are four times more likely to sustain injuries compared to other firefighters. Also, they work some of the longest hours and have some of the hardest tasks to execute. They don\u2019t shoot water hoses; they use powered chainsaws and manual hand tools, such as axes, with the goal of starving the fire of fuel to continue to burn.\u201d But: \u201cDuring the most recent U.S. election, California voters rejected Proposition 6, a ballot measure that would have banned forced labor in state prisons.\u201d \u2022 What really bugs me is that the prisoners, having paid their debt to society <em>are then barred from becoming firefighters<\/em>. That\u2019s insane.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"wired\"\/><strong>News of the Wired<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cScientists mystified by massive structures found deep beneath the Pacific Ocean\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/studyfinds.org\/massive-structures-deep-beneath-pacific-ocean-mantle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">StudyFinds<\/a>]. \u201cMiles beneath the Pacific Ocean, in a region of Earth\u2019s mantle where conventional wisdom says nothing unusual should exist, scientists have discovered something extraordinary. Using innovative technology to analyze seismic waves, researchers have identified massive structures that challenge fundamental theories about how our planet formed and evolved. It\u2019s as if we\u2019ve discovered a new geological continent \u2013 not on Earth\u2019s surface, but deep within it.\u201d \u2022\u00a0R\u2019lyeh?<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Contact information for plants<\/strong>: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-9-2025.html\">here<\/a>. From JennyBesserit:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"694\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow-259x300.jpeg 259w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>JennyBesserit writes: \u201cFall vines, Portland, Maine.\u201d Since readers like yesterday\u2019s red leaves so much\u2026.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"donate\"\/><strong>Readers<\/strong>: Water Cooler is a standalone entity <em>not<\/em> covered by the annual NC fundraiser. Material here is Lambert\u2019s, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. If you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldn\u2019t see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! <em>Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I\u2019m on the right track with coverage<\/em>. When I get no donations for three or four days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:<\/p>\n<p>Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-226891\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"606\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png 606w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution-300x190.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!<\/p>\n<div class=\"printfriendly pf-alignleft\"><a href=\"#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF & Email\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none;-webkit-box-shadow:none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow:none; padding:0; margin:0\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.printfriendly.com\/buttons\/print-button-gray.png\" alt=\"Print Friendly, PDF & Email\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .entry-content --><\/p>\n<footer class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\tThis entry was posted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/guest-post\" rel=\"category tag\">Guest Post<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/water-cooler\" rel=\"category tag\">Water Cooler<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-10-2025.html\" title=\"2:00 pm\" rel=\"bookmark\"><time class=\"entry-date updated\" datetime=\"2025-01-10T14:00:37-05:00\">January 10, 2025<\/time><\/a><span class=\"by-author\"> by <span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/author\/lambert-strether\" title=\"View all posts by Lambert Strether\" rel=\"author\">Lambert Strether<\/a><\/span><\/span>.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-info\" wp_automatic_readability=\"20.197005056398\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-avatar --><\/p>\n<div class=\"author-description\" wp_automatic_readability=\"35.467911318553\">\n<h2>About Lambert Strether<\/h2>\n<p>Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (\u201cBecause markets\u201d). I don\u2019t much care about the \u201cism\u201d that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don\u2019t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. <br \/>\n <br \/>\nTo me, the key issue \u2014 and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me \u2014 is the tens of thousands of excess \u201cdeaths from despair,\u201d as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics \u2014 even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton\u2019s wars created \u2014 bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow \u2014 currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press \u2014 a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let\u2019s call such voices \u201cthe left.\u201d Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn\u2019t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I\u2019ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-link\t-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-description -->\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-info --><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- .entry-meta --><br \/>\n\t<!-- #post --><\/p>\n<nav class=\"nav-single\">\n<h3 class=\"assistive-text\">Post navigation<\/h3>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-previous list-posts-older\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/in-2025-states-will-flip-the-script-on-taxes-to-make-the-wealthy-pay-their-fair-share.html\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"meta-nav\">\u2190<\/span> \u201cIn 2025, States Will Flip the Script on Taxes to Make the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share\u201d<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-next list-posts-newer\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/nav>\n<p><!-- .nav-single --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #comments .comments-area --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #content --><br \/>\n<!-- #primary --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #secondary --><\/p>\n<footer id=\"colophon\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- .site-info --><br \/>\n\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- #colophon --><br \/>\n\t\t<!-- #main.wrapper --><br \/>\n<!-- #page --><br \/>\n<!-- .mobile-menu-wrap --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Blog Reader Pooling - removed 09\/16\/2015 by M. Lacourse --><br \/>\n<!-- <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"nc-hide\" src=\"http:\/\/t.blogreaderproject.com\/t.gif?c9a0f3c0f2425bc76f3b4c3baf750ea8\" alt=\"\" width=\"0\" height=\"0\"> --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp footer --><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-10-2025.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Bird Song of the Day Brown Thrasher, Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary, Frederick, Maryland, United States. \u201cVery liquid sound to this<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-spotlight"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Bird Song of the Day<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Brown Thrasher, Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary, Frederick, Maryland, United States. \u201cVery liquid sound to this birds song. Nice. Human voices and Fish crows in background.\u201d Cows, too.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/strong> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#table\">New Covid data<\/a>, Covid and <a href=\"#mortality\">mortality<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#zeitgeist\">LA Palisades Fire<\/a>: Misinformation.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#class\">SEIU joins AFL-CIO<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo many of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in fact a rational management of symbolic capital.\u201d \u2013Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Trump Transition<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"105.00327064595\">\n<p>\u201cTrump discusses his viral moment with Obama\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/live-updates\/2025\/01\/09\/congress\/trump-and-obamas-moment-00197472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Politico<\/a>]. \u201cThe president-elect was asked about it later in a Fox News interview from his home in Florida. \u2018It did look very friendly, I must say,\u2019 Trump said. \u2018I didn\u2019t realize how friendly it looked. I saw it on your wonderful network, just a little while ago before I came in and I said \u2018Boy, they look like two people that like each other.\u2019 And we probably do,\u201d he said. Trump didn\u2019t say what he and Obama were talking about in the viral moment. \u2018We have little different philosophies, right? I don\u2019t know, we just got along. But I got along with everybody on that. You know we met backstage before we went on, and I thought it was a beautiful service, but we all got along very well.’\u201d \u2022\u00a0Meanwhile, the lipreader once more\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHere\u2019s what Trump has to say about that viral exchange with Barack Obama at Jimmy Carter\u2019s funeral\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/10\/us-news\/what-trump-has-to-say-about-that-viral-exchange-with-obama-at-jimmy-carters-funeral\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Post<\/a>]. \u201cForensic lip reader Jeremy Freeman told The Post Thursday that it\u2019s possible they were wary of cameras being pointed at them as they sat shoulder to shoulder and wanted to appear cordial. Freeman said the two were possibly chatting about international agreements. At one point, Trump leaned toward Obama and said, \u2018I\u2019ve pulled out of that. It\u2019s the conditions. Can you imagine that?\u2019 Trump didn\u2019t dive into the specifics of the friendly chat. Obama laughed as Trump added, \u2018And after, I will.\u2019 \u2018Call me at after, yep,\u2019 Trump said, to which Obama replied, \u2018Can you just \u2026 it should be good.\u2019 \u2018I can\u2019t talk, we have to find a quiet place sometime. This is a matter of importance, and we need to do this outside so that we can deal with it, certainly, today,\u2019 Trump allegedly said as Obama nodded.\u201d \u2022 But what the heck is \u201cthe foy\u201d? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/foy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Foy<\/a> means \u201cfeast,\u201d but it\u2019s chiefly Scottish. Something at Trump\u2019s golf course?!\u201d Or<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/maggiewestrum\/status\/1877487938541388242\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> Claire Foy<\/a>? (I thought I had the answer when \u201cFOIA\u201d popped into my head, but that amkes no sense in context.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cDOGE is dispatching agents across U.S. government\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/0wCQS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WaPo<\/a>]. \u201cElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are sending representatives to agencies across the federal government, four people familiar with the matter said, to begin preliminary interviews that will shape the tech executives\u2019 enormous ambitions to tame Washington\u2019s sprawling bureaucracy. In recent days, aides with the nongovernmental [but not a corporation, not a 501(c)(3), not a private club, so what?] \u2018Department [sic] of Government Efficiency\u2019 tied to [which means?] President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s transition team have spoken with staffers at more than a dozen federal agencies, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media. The agencies include the Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service and the departments of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services, the people said.\u201d Spoken under what authority? Elon\u2019s mom? More: \u201cAt the same time, Musk and Ramaswamy have significantly stepped up hiring for their new entity [Oh, DOGE is an entity], with more than 50 staffers already working out of the offices of SpaceX, Musk\u2019s rocket-building company, in downtown Washington, two of the people said. DOGE aims to have a staff of close to 100 people in place by Trump\u2019s inauguration on Jan. 20, they said. While much about DOGE remains unclear [that is, we don\u2019t know under what authority] \u2014 including who is paying the salaries of these staffers or exactly how DOGE representatives work with the formal transition team \u2014 the agency outreach reflects intensifying efforts by Musk and Ramaswamy to propose what they say will be \u201cdrastic\u201d cuts to federal spending and regulations.\u201d \u2022 One wonders what the DOGE onboard process is like, and whether, for example, it takes conflict of interest into account.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs Elon Musk the most powerful civilian since Rasputin?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2025\/01\/10\/ever-been-more-powerful-civilian-than-elon-musk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Telegraph<\/a>]. \u201cHistory is scattered with \u2018civilians\u2019 for whom self-regard and extreme wealth fed a sense of megalomania that made them think they should, and could, change the political process. Sometimes they managed to stay on the right side of the line of propriety and, by using their wealth to do good works, did great public services. Sometimes their power came through displaying huge moral courage that inspired a following, and not wealth, and they circumvented the political class and changed the world for the better. Often it ended badly, in degrees of humiliation or even death [yikes], as their determination to influence statecraft met resistance or ridicule from those supporting conventional politics. Take, for example, Grigory Rasputin\u2026.\u201d \u2022 Take Rasputin. Please!<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cGabbard reverses course on key intel-gathering tool as nomination teeters\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/punchbowl.news\/article\/senate\/gabbard-changes-stance-on-section-702\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Punchbowl<\/a>]. \u201cFormer Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nominee for director of national intelligence, is changing her tune on a key intelligence-gathering authority she once sought to repeal as her Senate confirmation hangs in the balance. Gabbard\u2019s past criticisms of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act have emerged as a central issue in her confirmation process, leaving GOP senators \u2014 including some in leadership \u2014 increasingly skeptical about the former Democrat\u2019s confirmation prospects. In her first public comments since being nominated, Gabbard told us in an exclusive statement that she now supports Section 702, saying the program is \u2018crucial\u2019 and \u2018must be safeguarded to protect our nation while ensuring the civil liberties of Americans.\u2019 ;If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans\u2019 Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people,\u2019 Gabbard said. In private meetings, senators are questioning Gabbard about legislation she introduced in 2020 that would repeal Section 702. However, Gabbard now appears to be walking that back, citing Fourth Amendment protections implemented since then to prevent the incidental collection of Americans\u2019 data.\u201d \u2022 Looks like some Republicans love spooks just as much as Democrats do.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow Trump Came Around to Crypto \u2014 and What Crypto Wants in Return\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/JiAEo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Bloomberg<\/a>]. \u201cTrump nominated crypto supporter Paul Atkins to replace Gensler, and that announcement helped Bitcoin climb above $100,000 for the first time. The president-elect nominated David Sacks to the newly created position of artificial intelligence and crypto czar. Trump is also creating a crypto advisory group, made up of backers of the industry. Trump said in a December Truth Social post that Bo Hines will be the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, reporting to Sacks. Trump said he plans to have the US government keep rather than sell Bitcoin holdings seized by law enforcement, making these assets the basis of a so-called strategic Bitcoin stockpile. Trump has also said he would like all Bitcoin to be mined in the US; this promise may prove difficult to fulfill due to the reality of decentralized networks and cheaper costs of energy in other parts of the world.\u201d \u2022 \u201cStrategic Bitcoin\u201d my Sweet Aunt Fanny.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Lawfare<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"11.891156462585\">\n<p>\u201cTrump sentenced to unconditional discharge in New York hush money case, avoiding jail\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/01\/10\/trump-sentencing-new-york-hush-money-case.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNBC<\/a>]. \u201cPresident-elect Donald Trump was sentenced without any penalties Friday in his New York criminal hush money case, 10 days before his inauguration for a second White House term. Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to \u201cunconditional discharge,\u201d meaning no jail, no probation and no fine.\u201d \u2022 Entirely appropriate for Hitler!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Democrats <em>en d\u00e9shabill\u00e9<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"20.150034891835\">\n<p>\u201cOpening the DNC\u2019s Black Box\u201d [Micah Sifrey, <a href=\"https:\/\/prospect.org\/politics\/2025-01-10-opening-dncs-black-box\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The American Prospect<\/a>]. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/dnc-chair-jaime-harrison-sets-out-first-steps-in-process-for-electing-incoming-chair-dnc-officers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">According to the DNC<\/a>, there are 448 active members of the national committee, including 200 elected members from 57 states, territories, and Democrats Abroad; members representing 16 affiliate groups; and 73 \u2018at-large\u2019 members who were elected as a slate appointed in 2021 by the party chairman, Jaime Harrison. For a party that claims the word \u2018democratic\u2019 and insists that it is a champion of transparency and accountability in government, the official roster of these 448 voters is not public. Michael Kapp, a DNC member from California who was first elected to that position by his state party\u2019s executive committee in 2016, told me the list isn\u2019t public \u2018because it\u2019s the DNC\u2014it\u2019s a black box.\u2019 He told me that leadership holds tightly to the list to prevent any organizing beyond their control. Today, we\u2019re going to open up the DNC\u2019s black box. The list <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1bQKIP3W1NWChRjSbsE0O5k5s7OdgXrJi5-CMfFECIBU\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">we are publishing<\/a> was leaked to me by a trusted source with long experience with the national party. Like Kapp, this person thinks it\u2019s absurd that the party\u2019s roster of voting members is secret. Indeed, since there is no official public list, each of the candidates running for chair and other positions has undoubtedly had to create their own tallies from scratch\u2014making it very likely our list comes from a candidate\u2019s whip operation.\u201d \u2022 Anyone we know?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Realignment and Legitimacy<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"13.770689655172\">\n<p>\u201cThe Unstoppable Rise of Energy Realism\u201d [Ruy Teixeira, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liberalpatriot.com\/p\/the-unstoppable-rise-of-energy-realism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Liberal Patriot<\/a>]. \u201cFor the last decade, Democrats and the left have ever more eagerly embraced a climate catastrophist narrative on energy policy\u2026. So what have the Democrats gained from their fervent advocacy for climate catastrophism? Not much\u2026. Nor have Democrats been rewarded with a political bonanza for their embrace of climate catastrophism. Quite the contrary. They just lost the presidential election to an opponent who says \u201cdrill, baby, drill\u201d and whose priority is cheap, abundant energy\u2014not clean energy\u2026. Can Democrats wean themselves away from climate catastrophism and their obsession with net zero? It could be difficult. Their net zero commitment stems from the extremely high priority placed on this goal by the educated elites and activists who now dominate the party. These elites and activists\u2014unlike working-class voters\u2014believe that nothing is more important than stopping global warming since it is not just a problem, but an \u2018existential crisis\u2019 that must be confronted as rapidly as possible to prevent a global apocalypse.\u201d \u2022 Much to ponder.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Syndemics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am in earnest \u2014 I will not equivocate \u2014 I will not excuse \u2014 I will not retreat a single inch \u2014 AND I WILL BE HEARD.\u201d \u2013William Lloyd Garrison<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Covid Resources, United States (National): Transmission (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#county-view?list_select_state=all_states&list_select_county=all_counties&data-type=Risk&null=Risk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>); Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>, <del><a href=\"https:\/\/biobot.io\/data\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Biobot<\/a><\/del>; includes many counties; <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wastewater Scan<\/a>, includes drilldown by zip); Variants (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/businesssolutions\/covid-19-index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a>); \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/iowacovid19tracker.org\/hospitals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Iowa COVID-19 Tracker<\/a>\u201d (in IA, but national data). \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/icemsg.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Infection Control, Emergency Management, Safety, and General Thoughts<\/a>\u201d (especially on hospitalization by city).<\/p>\n<p>Lambert here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To update any entry, do feel free to contact me at the address given with the plants. Please put \u201cCOVID\u201d in the subject line. Thank you!<\/p>\n<p>Resources, United States (Local): AK (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/af2efc8bffbf4cdc83c2d1a134354074\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/6d2771faa9da4a2786a509d82c8cf0f7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AR (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/633006d0782b4544bd5113a314f6268a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AZ (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azdhs.gov\/covid19\/data\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); CA (<a href=\"https:\/\/skylab.cdph.ca.gov\/calwws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.marinhhs.org\/surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Marin, dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/healthalerts.stanford.edu\/covid-19\/wastewater-dashboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Stanford, wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/?v=SC2_N&l=Oakland%2C+CA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Oakland, wastewater<\/a>); CO (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.colorado.gov\/data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/d79cf93c3938470ca4bcc4823328946b#utility=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); CT (<a href=\"https:\/\/data.ct.gov\/stories\/s\/COVID-19-data\/wa3g-tfvc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); DE (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.delaware.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); FL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/5b9d75ba683849928dc1a49c39ab0b1c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); GA (<a href=\"https:\/\/dph.georgia.gov\/ga-nwss-wastewater-surveillance-reports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); HI (<a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); IA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmmwra.org\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=57\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater reports<\/a>); ID (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Boise; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/?plantId=1056f05c-0e46-4e3d-b007-c0453ba7dc0d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Central Idaho; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/#:SARS-CoV-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Coeur d\u2019Alene; dashboard, <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.srhd.org\/topics\/spokane-county-case-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Spokane County<\/a>); IL (<a href=\"https:\/\/iwss.uillinois.edu\/wastewater-treatment-plants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); IN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.in.gov\/indiana-covid-19-dashboard-and-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); KS (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov\/160\/COVID-19-in-Kansas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/4456bae8a38f4b6180e008477382fff9\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Lawrence); KY (<a href=\"https:\/\/louisville.edu\/envirome\/thecoimmunityproject\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Louisville); LA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ldh.la.gov\/coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/covid-19-wastewater-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MD (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.maryland.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); ME (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/dhhs\/mecdc\/infectious-disease\/epi\/airborne\/coronavirus\/data.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/coronavirus\/stats\/wastewater-surveillance\/dashboard\/sentinel-wastewater-epidemiology-evaluation-project-sweep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/gisportal.state.mi.us\/portal\/apps\/insights\/index.html#\/view\/52bbb104ed574887918f990af9f3debe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/diseases\/coronavirus\/stats\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MO (<a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/f7f5492486114da6b5d6fdc07f81aacf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MS (<a href=\"https:\/\/msdh.ms.gov\/page\/14,0,420.html#Mississippi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>MT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/MapSeries\/index.html?appid=7c34f3412536439491adcc2103421d4b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; NC (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.ncdhhs.gov\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard)<\/a>; ND (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NE (<a href=\"https:\/\/atlas-dhhs.ne.gov\/Atlas\/Respiratory_Illness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NH (<a href=\"https:\/\/wisdom.dhhs.nh.gov\/wisdom\/dashboard.html?topic=covid-19&subtopic=recurring-updates&indicator=covid-19-wastewater#tabnavbarid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NJ (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.nj.gov\/forms\/datadashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NM (<a href=\"https:\/\/cvprovider.nmhealth.org\/public-dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NV (<a href=\"https:\/\/nvhealthresponse.nv.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/empower.unlv.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Southern NV); NY (<a href=\"https:\/\/mbcolli.shinyapps.io\/SARS2EWSP\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OH (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.ohio.gov\/dashboards\/other-resources\/wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OK (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/51657c21386d4f1a962b1853c76ec589\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>OR (<a href=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/app\/profile\/oregon.health.authority.covid.19\/viz\/OregonsCOVID-19DataDashboards-TableofContents\/TableofContentsStatewide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; PA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.pa.gov\/topics\/disease\/coronavirus\/pages\/Cases.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); RI (<a href=\"https:\/\/ri-department-of-health-covid-19-data-rihealth.hub.arcgis.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SC (<a href=\"https:\/\/scdhec.gov\/index.php\/covid19\/covid-19-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SD (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.sd.gov\/COVID\/Dashboard.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tn.gov\/health\/cedep\/ncov\/data.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TX (<a href=\"https:\/\/txdshsea.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/4ae43eefd0f641d59d35c3df82ee59cc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); UT (<a href=\"https:\/\/avrpublic.dhhs.utah.gov\/uwss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); VA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/coronavirus\/sars-cov-2-in-wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); VT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthvermont.gov\/disease-control\/covid-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WA (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.wa.gov\/emergencies\/covid-19\/data-dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.bfhd.wa.gov\/cases-and-roadmap-to-recovery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.wisconsin.gov\/covid-19\/wastewater.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); WV (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/oehs.wvdhhr.org\/news\/oehs-coivd-19-information\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>); WY (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/covidwastewatermonitor.wyo.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/health-infobase.canada.ca\/covid-19\/wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Government of Canada<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publichealthontario.ca\/en\/Data-and-Analysis\/Infectious-Disease\/COVID-19-Data-Surveillance\/Wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); QC (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspq.qc.ca\/covid-19\/donnees\/eaux-usees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><em>les eaux us\u00e9es<\/em><\/a>); BC (<a href=\"https:\/\/bccdc.shinyapps.io\/respiratory_wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); BC, Vancouver (<a href=\"https:\/\/metrovancouver.org\/services\/liquid-waste\/testing-for-the-covid-19-virus-in-wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Hat tips to helpful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, KF, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, thump, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3). <\/p>\n<p>Stay safe out there!<\/p>\n<p> Airborne Transmission<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"17.553524804178\">\n<p>\u201cScience tells us that portable air filters reduce infections. It\u2019s time for public health authorities to make this clear\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1876034124003848?utm_campaign=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&utm_medium=email&utm_acid=102522945&SIS_ID=&dgcid=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&CMX_ID=&utm_in=DM534787&utm_source=AC_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Journal of Infection and Public Health<\/a>]. \u201cOver the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian public health advisors and decision-makers have shared conflicted and confusing messages about the effectiveness of portable air filters (PAFs) in controlling the spread of airborne infectious diseases\u2026 Diseases such as COVID-19 are transmitted through respiratory particles that contain infectious material. If these particles come in contact with the mucous membranes of a susceptible individual, there is a risk of infection. In general, there is a dose-response relationship\u2014the more infectious material in the air, the greater the risk of infection. Thus, any mitigation measures that remove these particles from the air (or inactivate infectious materials) will reduce the risk of transmission\u2026 This science is supported by decades of research and public health and health care practice demonstrating the effectiveness of PAFs in reducing the transmission of airborne diseases\u2026. While evidence demonstrates that filtration reduces concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the air, this research should not have been required by public health authorities before implementation. PAFs, like other engineering interventions such as seat belts, parachutes and bridges, are designed and evaluated according to the laws of physics.\u201d \u2022 Savage indictment of public health and hospital infection control,<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Morbidity and Mortality<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"21.153499795334\">\n<p><a name=\"mortality\"\/>\u201cThe future of excess mortality after COVID-19\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.swissre.com\/institute\/research\/topics-and-risk-dialogues\/health-and-longevity\/covid-19-pandemic-synonymous-excess-mortality.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Swiss Re Institute<\/a>]. \u201cFour years on from the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, many countries worldwide still report elevated deaths in their populations. This impact appears generally independent of healthcare systems and population health. This trend is evident even after accounting for shifting population sizes, and the range of reporting mechanisms and death classifications that make inter-country comparisons complex. There is also likely a degree of excess mortality under-reporting\u2026. This represents a potential challenge for Life and Health (L&H) insurance, with potentially several years of elevated mortality claims ahead, depending on how general population trends translate into the insured population. Ongoing excess mortality can have implications for L&H insurance claims and reserves. Excess mortality that continues to exceed current expectations may affect the long-term performance of in-force life portfolios as well as the pricing of new life policies.\u201d And: \u201cOur general population forecasts suggest that excess mortality will gradually tail off by 2033, to 0\u20133% in the US and 0\u20132.5% in the UK. In comparison, by our calculation excess mortality in 2023 was in the range of 3\u20137% for the US, and 5\u20138% in the UK. Under an optimistic scenario, we find that US and UK pandemic-linked excess mortality would disappear by 2028, reverting to pre-pandemic mortality expectations. Under a pessimistic scenario, we expect excess mortality to remain elevated until 2033, above pre-pandemic expectations.\u201d \u2022 Handy chart:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"2.9417040358744\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"8.0896860986547\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">How the Pandemic Increased US Deaths!<br \/>Visualized in 8 charts by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jwgale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@jwgale<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@business<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>1. The Covid Pandemic Fueled a 4-Year Mortality Surge in the US <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/H6CW6ya0sO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/H6CW6ya0sO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ziyad Al-Aly, MD (@zalaly) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zalaly\/status\/1873526791148818483\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">December 30, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMortality in First Eight Months of 2024 2% Higher Than Predicted\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.actuaries.digital\/2024\/12\/17\/mortality-in-first-eight-months-of-2024-2-higher-than-predicted\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Actuaries Digital<\/a>]. Australia. The Abstract:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>In summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li>For the first eight months of 2024, against a baseline that includes anticipated COVID-19 deaths:\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li>total mortality was 2% higher than predicted;<\/li>\n<li>COVID-19 mortality was 70% higher than predicted;<\/li>\n<li>Non-COVID respiratory mortality was 8% higher than predicted, with pneumonia deaths 14% higher; and<\/li>\n<li>these outcomes are all statistically significant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>There have been five deaths from COVID-19 for every death from influenza.<\/li>\n<li>Mortality from non-respiratory causes has been close to predicted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Elite Maleficence<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"7.4752066115702\">\n<p>Mandy Cohen visits Nassau County:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"3.7840909090909\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"10.090909090909\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u23ea to when I visited a wastewater facility in Nassau County in November 2023. Learn more about how this tool helps us better understand & track diseases at the local level \ud83d\udc47 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/y9vqEGkW0R\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/y9vqEGkW0R<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CDCDirector\/status\/1877777575197495404\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m happy Cohen gave wastewater testing some needed publicity, but this would have been a good time to wear a mask as a sign of resistance to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2024\/08\/mask-bans-slowly-spread-cough-cough-in-states-and-localities.html\">Nassau County\u2019s anti-masking ordinance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"table\"\/><strong>TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody wp_automatic_readability=\"11.371916508539\">\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Wastewater<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.625\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> This week[1] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 30<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Last week[2] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> (until next week):<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284945\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-300x187.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" style=\"align: left; margin-left: 0px !important; padding: 9px 0 9px 0;\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6619718309859\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong> Variants<\/strong> [3] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 21<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> <strong>Emergency Room Visits<\/strong>[4] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#trends_select_7dayeddiagnosed_00\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1-300x177.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl-300x159.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Hospitalization<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.8139534883721\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> New York[5] <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.health.ny.gov\/daily-hospitalization-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York State<\/a>, data January 9:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> National [6] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/covidnetdashboard\/de\/powerbi\/dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> Janurary 9, 2005:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl-287x300.png 287w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Positivity<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"2.5294117647059\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> National[7] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/healthcare-solutions\/covid-19-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a> January 6:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Ohio[8] <a href=\"https:\/\/clevelandcliniclabs.com\/respiratory-virus-surveillance-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Cleveland Clinic<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"340\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1-300x170.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"428\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1-300x214.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Travelers Data<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6417910447761\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> <span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Positivity[9] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 23:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Variants[10] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Deaths<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.7735849056604\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronadisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl-300x182.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed-300x184.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<td wp_automatic_readability=\"185.25162868082\">\n<p><strong>LEGEND<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1) <span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> for charts new today; all others are not updated.<\/p>\n<p>2) For a full-size\/full-resolution image, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Windows) on the chart thumbnail and \u201copen image in new tab.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[1] (CDC) Seeing more red and more orange, but nothing new at major hubs. <\/p>\n<p>[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n<p>[3] (CDC Variants) XEC takes over. That WHO label, \u201cOmmicron,\u201d has done a great job normalizing successive waves of infection.<\/p>\n<p>[4] (ED) A little uptick.<\/p>\n<p>[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Definitely jumped.<\/p>\n<p>[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[8] (Cleveland) Continued upward trend since, well, Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[10] (Travelers: Variants). Positivity is new, but variants have not yet been released.<\/p>\n<p>[11] Deaths low, positivity leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[12] Deaths low, ED leveling out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stats Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Employment Situation: \u201cUnited States Unemployment Rate\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/tradingeconomics.com\/united-states\/unemployment-rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Trading Economics<\/a>]. \u201cThe unemployment rate in the United States went down to 4.1% in December of 2024 from 4.2% in the previous month, below market expectations of 4.2%.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cFAA says up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aerotime.aero\/articles\/faa-airworthiness-directive-boeing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Aerotime<\/a>]. \u201cThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections as part of an Airworthiness Directive (AD). The AD, issued on January 8, 2025, raised concerns over landing gear on US-registered 767-200s, 767-300s and 767-300 Freighters following an incident during maintenance. According to the FAA, the AD was \u2018prompted by a report of a main landing gear (MLG) collapse event following maintenance where a grinder was operating outside of its input parameters, resulting in possible heat damage to the outer cylinder of the MLG.’\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cAirbus Tops Rival Boeing with 766 Jet Deliveries in 2024\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/reuters\/airbus-tops-rival-boeing-with-766-jet-deliveries-in-2024\/91105637\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Inc<\/a>]. \u201cAirbus delivered 766 jets in 2024 and looked certain to maintain leadership of the jetmaking industry for a sixth year as arch-rival Boeing recovers cautiously from a prolonged internal crisis, company data showed.\u201d But importantly: \u201cAerospace supply chains have been under pressure due in part to an exodus of experienced workers during the pandemic, with aviation competing with other sectors to recruit new labour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tech: \u201cPredictions Scorecard, 2025 January 01\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/rodneybrooks.com\/predictions-scorecard-2025-january-01\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Rodney Brooks<\/a>]. Fun stuff. Here is a handy chart of failed predictions for robot cars:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"311\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless-300x156.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Legend: Dates in parens: When prediction was made. Dates in blue: When prediction will come true. Pink shading: Wrong prediction. Orange arrow: retraction. <\/p>\n<p>And the kicker:<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"11\">\n<p>Pro tip: Think about this history of industry prognostications about fully autonomous driving being just around the corner when you read today\u2019s prognostications about LLMs taking jobs, en masse, in the next couple of years, or humanoid robots being dirt cheap and being able to learn how to do any human manual task real real soon now. You know you have seen this movie before\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Very much worth reading in full (The author is <a href=\"https:\/\/people.csail.mit.edu\/brooks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Panasonic Professor of Robotics emeritus<\/a> at MIT).<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s Fear & Greed Index: 28 Fear (previous close: 32 Fear) [<a href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/data\/fear-and-greed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNN<\/a>]. One week ago: 33 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Jan 10 at 3:28:04 PM ET.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"zeitgeist\"\/><strong>Zeitgeist Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thank you, Mr. Presidents:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"1.3461538461538\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.3076923076923\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s over for Gavin <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kTPAOU96uA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/kTPAOU96uA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1877743988112777442\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Lord knows I hold no brief for California Democrats (\u201cEverything is like CalPERS\u201d). But this is so over-the-top my tendency is to discount any Republican coverage of the California fires to zero. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia wildfires: Police shoot down celebrities floating arson theories\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/california-wildfires-police-shoot-down-celebrities-floating-arson-theories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">FOX<\/a>]. \u201c\u2018THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,\u2019 actor Henry Winkler wrote on Wednesday on X. \u2018May you be beaten you unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!\u2019 Actress Alison Sweeney simply responded, \u2018agreed.\u2019 Singer Chris Brown took to his Instagram stories on Thursday and wrote, \u2018Someone starting these fires. S\u2014 don\u2019t add up.\u2019 \u2018Dancing with the Stars\u2019 pro Peta Murgatroyd shared a tweet that was originally posted by political and cultural media personality Xaviaer DuRousseau that reads: \u2018LOS ANGELES \/ SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE MEN GOING AROUND IN SKI MASKS STARTING FIRES. KEEP AN EYE OUT.\u201d But: \u201cDespite the various claims, the Los Angeles Police Department told Fox News Digital, \u201cWe have not received any reports of arson.’\u201d \u2022 I don\u2019t know why we\u2019d believe actors on this, any more than, say, mainstream economists (of whom, see below). Then again\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHomeless man with \u2018flamethrower\u2019 busted on suspicion of arson near LA\u2019s Kenneth Fire after residents detain him\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/09\/us-news\/kenneth-fire-in-west-hollywood-hills-being-probed-as-arson-1-in-custody-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Post<\/a>]. \u201cOne witness told Fox 11 that the suspect was \u2018very focused on moving forward\u2019 with what the described as being more like a blowtorch. \u2018He was like, \u2018I can\u2019t stop. I can\u2019t stop. I\u2019m not putting this down. I\u2019m doing this,\u201d the witness said. \u2018And we\u2019re like, \u2018We can\u2019t be doing that right now.’\u201d So a citizens arrest is performed: \u201cSoon after the suspect was taken into custody, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed it was investigating the Kenneth Fire as likely arson. \u2018At this time, that\u2019s what we believe. It\u2019s being investigated as a crime,\u2019 LAPD Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse initially told KTLA. The major crimes squad was brought in because he was \u2018a possible arson suspect,\u2019 LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi told reporters in an update later Friday. However, the homeless man had so-far only been arrested on a felony parole violation because \u2018there was not enough probable cause to arrest this person on arson or suspicion on arson,\u2019 Choi said. \u2018This investigation is ongoing, however,\u2019 he stressed, thanking the citizens who tackled him and called it in. It was not immediately clear what felony the suspect, who has still yet to be publicly identified, was on parole for.\u201d \u2022 So, the Kenneth fire, and I imagine that Winkler, et al., are thinking of the Palisades fire. That said, my priors did kick in. Reinforced as they constantly are\u2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEconomists Are in the Wilderness. Can They Find a Way Back to Influence?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/01\/10\/business\/economy\/economists-politics-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.oE4.6jlt.KRS65--CQgjV&smid=url-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Times<\/a>]. \u2022 Never have I felt happier to know of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Betteridge\u2019s Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"class\"\/><strong>Class Warfare<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Labor Movement Just Notched Two Big Wins\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/politics\/the-labor-movement-just-notched-two-big-wins\/ar-BB1rdEmO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The New Republic<\/a>]. \u201cOne so seldom has the opportunity to report good news about labor unions that when two good things happen in the space of 24 hours that\u2019s a triumph. The first is a rebuke to the incoming Trump administration. The second is an unacknowledged favor to it (but, more importantly, to the nation as well). Item One is that the Service Employees International Union, reversing a bad decision 20 years ago to disaffiliate with the AFL-CIO, is rejoining the labor federation. Even Andy Stern, who as SEIU president took the union out of the AFL-CIO and sought (in the end, unsuccessfully) to build a rival federation called Change to Win with the Teamsters and five smaller unions, said Wednesday that this is \u2018an appropriate time to unite SEIU\u2019s strength with other unions.\u2019 The move will expand AFL-CIO membership from nearly 13 million to nearly 15 million. (Change to Win was a bust. It lost most of its affiliates, stopped calling itself a labor federation, and now operates as something called the Strategic Organizing Center.) Item Two is that the International Longshoremen\u2019s Association, or ILA, which represents dockworkers on the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, reached a deal on a new contract, averting a second dockworker strike. The first strike, in October, lasted three days before a wage deal was reached under heavy pressure on management from the Biden White House, with further negotiations postponed until after the presidential election.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cInmates Can Make Up Nearly A Third Of Those Fighting California Fires\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/dougmelville\/2025\/01\/09\/inmates-makes-up-nearly-a-third-of-those-fighting-la-fires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Forbes<\/a>]. \u201cWhile the 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States, a loophole allows people convicted of crimes to be forced to work for public or private enterprises. In this case, those tasked with firefighting volunteer for those positions and must meet certain criteria. They are not assigned without their consent. Their pay scale was doubled in 2023, and depending on the skill level and the task assigned, they either receive $0.16 to $0.74 an hour or a maximum day rate of $5.80 to $10.24. Most of their lunches consist of a simple sandwich\u2014two pieces of white bread with a few slices of bologna\u2014plus an apple. Their daily food budget of approximately $4 per day is hardly enough to sustain them for their high volume of manual labor. Incarcerated firefighters have some of the highest injury rates among all prison workers and are four times more likely to sustain injuries compared to other firefighters. Also, they work some of the longest hours and have some of the hardest tasks to execute. They don\u2019t shoot water hoses; they use powered chainsaws and manual hand tools, such as axes, with the goal of starving the fire of fuel to continue to burn.\u201d But: \u201cDuring the most recent U.S. election, California voters rejected Proposition 6, a ballot measure that would have banned forced labor in state prisons.\u201d \u2022 What really bugs me is that the prisoners, having paid their debt to society <em>are then barred from becoming firefighters<\/em>. That\u2019s insane.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"wired\"\/><strong>News of the Wired<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cScientists mystified by massive structures found deep beneath the Pacific Ocean\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/studyfinds.org\/massive-structures-deep-beneath-pacific-ocean-mantle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">StudyFinds<\/a>]. \u201cMiles beneath the Pacific Ocean, in a region of Earth\u2019s mantle where conventional wisdom says nothing unusual should exist, scientists have discovered something extraordinary. Using innovative technology to analyze seismic waves, researchers have identified massive structures that challenge fundamental theories about how our planet formed and evolved. It\u2019s as if we\u2019ve discovered a new geological continent \u2013 not on Earth\u2019s surface, but deep within it.\u201d \u2022\u00a0R\u2019lyeh?<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Contact information for plants<\/strong>: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-9-2025.html\">here<\/a>. From JennyBesserit:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"694\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow-259x300.jpeg 259w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>JennyBesserit writes: \u201cFall vines, Portland, Maine.\u201d Since readers like yesterday\u2019s red leaves so much\u2026.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"donate\"\/><strong>Readers<\/strong>: Water Cooler is a standalone entity <em>not<\/em> covered by the annual NC fundraiser. Material here is Lambert\u2019s, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. If you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldn\u2019t see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! <em>Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I\u2019m on the right track with coverage<\/em>. When I get no donations for three or four days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:<\/p>\n<p>Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-226891\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"606\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png 606w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution-300x190.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!<\/p>\n<div class=\"printfriendly pf-alignleft\"><a href=\"#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF & Email\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none;-webkit-box-shadow:none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow:none; padding:0; margin:0\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.printfriendly.com\/buttons\/print-button-gray.png\" alt=\"Print Friendly, PDF & Email\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .entry-content --><\/p>\n<footer class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\tThis entry was posted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/guest-post\" rel=\"category tag\">Guest Post<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/water-cooler\" rel=\"category tag\">Water Cooler<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-10-2025.html\" title=\"2:00 pm\" rel=\"bookmark\"><time class=\"entry-date updated\" datetime=\"2025-01-10T14:00:37-05:00\">January 10, 2025<\/time><\/a><span class=\"by-author\"> by <span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/author\/lambert-strether\" title=\"View all posts by Lambert Strether\" rel=\"author\">Lambert Strether<\/a><\/span><\/span>.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-info\" wp_automatic_readability=\"20.197005056398\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-avatar --><\/p>\n<div class=\"author-description\" wp_automatic_readability=\"35.467911318553\">\n<h2>About Lambert Strether<\/h2>\n<p>Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (\u201cBecause markets\u201d). I don\u2019t much care about the \u201cism\u201d that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don\u2019t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. <br \/>\n <br \/>\nTo me, the key issue \u2014 and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me \u2014 is the tens of thousands of excess \u201cdeaths from despair,\u201d as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics \u2014 even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton\u2019s wars created \u2014 bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow \u2014 currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press \u2014 a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let\u2019s call such voices \u201cthe left.\u201d Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn\u2019t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I\u2019ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-link\t-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-description -->\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-info --><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- .entry-meta --><br \/>\n\t<!-- #post --><\/p>\n<nav class=\"nav-single\">\n<h3 class=\"assistive-text\">Post navigation<\/h3>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-previous list-posts-older\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/in-2025-states-will-flip-the-script-on-taxes-to-make-the-wealthy-pay-their-fair-share.html\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"meta-nav\">\u2190<\/span> \u201cIn 2025, States Will Flip the Script on Taxes to Make the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share\u201d<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-next list-posts-newer\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/nav>\n<p><!-- .nav-single --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #comments .comments-area --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #content --><br \/>\n<!-- #primary --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #secondary --><\/p>\n<footer id=\"colophon\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- .site-info --><br \/>\n\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- #colophon --><br \/>\n\t\t<!-- #main.wrapper --><br \/>\n<!-- #page --><br \/>\n<!-- .mobile-menu-wrap --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Blog Reader Pooling - removed 09\/16\/2015 by M. Lacourse --><br \/>\n<!-- <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"nc-hide\" src=\"http:\/\/t.blogreaderproject.com\/t.gif?c9a0f3c0f2425bc76f3b4c3baf750ea8\" alt=\"\" width=\"0\" height=\"0\"> --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp footer --><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-10-2025.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Bird Song of the Day Brown Thrasher, Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary, Frederick, Maryland, United States. \u201cVery liquid sound to this<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-spotlight"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Brown Thrasher, Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary, Frederick, Maryland, United States. \u201cVery liquid sound to this birds song. Nice. Human voices and Fish crows in background.\u201d Cows, too.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/strong> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#table\">New Covid data<\/a>, Covid and <a href=\"#mortality\">mortality<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#zeitgeist\">LA Palisades Fire<\/a>: Misinformation.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#class\">SEIU joins AFL-CIO<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo many of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in fact a rational management of symbolic capital.\u201d \u2013Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Trump Transition<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"105.00327064595\">\n<p>\u201cTrump discusses his viral moment with Obama\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/live-updates\/2025\/01\/09\/congress\/trump-and-obamas-moment-00197472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Politico<\/a>]. \u201cThe president-elect was asked about it later in a Fox News interview from his home in Florida. \u2018It did look very friendly, I must say,\u2019 Trump said. \u2018I didn\u2019t realize how friendly it looked. I saw it on your wonderful network, just a little while ago before I came in and I said \u2018Boy, they look like two people that like each other.\u2019 And we probably do,\u201d he said. Trump didn\u2019t say what he and Obama were talking about in the viral moment. \u2018We have little different philosophies, right? I don\u2019t know, we just got along. But I got along with everybody on that. You know we met backstage before we went on, and I thought it was a beautiful service, but we all got along very well.’\u201d \u2022\u00a0Meanwhile, the lipreader once more\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHere\u2019s what Trump has to say about that viral exchange with Barack Obama at Jimmy Carter\u2019s funeral\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/10\/us-news\/what-trump-has-to-say-about-that-viral-exchange-with-obama-at-jimmy-carters-funeral\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Post<\/a>]. \u201cForensic lip reader Jeremy Freeman told The Post Thursday that it\u2019s possible they were wary of cameras being pointed at them as they sat shoulder to shoulder and wanted to appear cordial. Freeman said the two were possibly chatting about international agreements. At one point, Trump leaned toward Obama and said, \u2018I\u2019ve pulled out of that. It\u2019s the conditions. Can you imagine that?\u2019 Trump didn\u2019t dive into the specifics of the friendly chat. Obama laughed as Trump added, \u2018And after, I will.\u2019 \u2018Call me at after, yep,\u2019 Trump said, to which Obama replied, \u2018Can you just \u2026 it should be good.\u2019 \u2018I can\u2019t talk, we have to find a quiet place sometime. This is a matter of importance, and we need to do this outside so that we can deal with it, certainly, today,\u2019 Trump allegedly said as Obama nodded.\u201d \u2022 But what the heck is \u201cthe foy\u201d? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/foy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Foy<\/a> means \u201cfeast,\u201d but it\u2019s chiefly Scottish. Something at Trump\u2019s golf course?!\u201d Or<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/maggiewestrum\/status\/1877487938541388242\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> Claire Foy<\/a>? (I thought I had the answer when \u201cFOIA\u201d popped into my head, but that amkes no sense in context.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cDOGE is dispatching agents across U.S. government\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/0wCQS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WaPo<\/a>]. \u201cElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are sending representatives to agencies across the federal government, four people familiar with the matter said, to begin preliminary interviews that will shape the tech executives\u2019 enormous ambitions to tame Washington\u2019s sprawling bureaucracy. In recent days, aides with the nongovernmental [but not a corporation, not a 501(c)(3), not a private club, so what?] \u2018Department [sic] of Government Efficiency\u2019 tied to [which means?] President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s transition team have spoken with staffers at more than a dozen federal agencies, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media. The agencies include the Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service and the departments of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services, the people said.\u201d Spoken under what authority? Elon\u2019s mom? More: \u201cAt the same time, Musk and Ramaswamy have significantly stepped up hiring for their new entity [Oh, DOGE is an entity], with more than 50 staffers already working out of the offices of SpaceX, Musk\u2019s rocket-building company, in downtown Washington, two of the people said. DOGE aims to have a staff of close to 100 people in place by Trump\u2019s inauguration on Jan. 20, they said. While much about DOGE remains unclear [that is, we don\u2019t know under what authority] \u2014 including who is paying the salaries of these staffers or exactly how DOGE representatives work with the formal transition team \u2014 the agency outreach reflects intensifying efforts by Musk and Ramaswamy to propose what they say will be \u201cdrastic\u201d cuts to federal spending and regulations.\u201d \u2022 One wonders what the DOGE onboard process is like, and whether, for example, it takes conflict of interest into account.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs Elon Musk the most powerful civilian since Rasputin?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2025\/01\/10\/ever-been-more-powerful-civilian-than-elon-musk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Telegraph<\/a>]. \u201cHistory is scattered with \u2018civilians\u2019 for whom self-regard and extreme wealth fed a sense of megalomania that made them think they should, and could, change the political process. Sometimes they managed to stay on the right side of the line of propriety and, by using their wealth to do good works, did great public services. Sometimes their power came through displaying huge moral courage that inspired a following, and not wealth, and they circumvented the political class and changed the world for the better. Often it ended badly, in degrees of humiliation or even death [yikes], as their determination to influence statecraft met resistance or ridicule from those supporting conventional politics. Take, for example, Grigory Rasputin\u2026.\u201d \u2022 Take Rasputin. Please!<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cGabbard reverses course on key intel-gathering tool as nomination teeters\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/punchbowl.news\/article\/senate\/gabbard-changes-stance-on-section-702\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Punchbowl<\/a>]. \u201cFormer Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nominee for director of national intelligence, is changing her tune on a key intelligence-gathering authority she once sought to repeal as her Senate confirmation hangs in the balance. Gabbard\u2019s past criticisms of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act have emerged as a central issue in her confirmation process, leaving GOP senators \u2014 including some in leadership \u2014 increasingly skeptical about the former Democrat\u2019s confirmation prospects. In her first public comments since being nominated, Gabbard told us in an exclusive statement that she now supports Section 702, saying the program is \u2018crucial\u2019 and \u2018must be safeguarded to protect our nation while ensuring the civil liberties of Americans.\u2019 ;If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans\u2019 Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people,\u2019 Gabbard said. In private meetings, senators are questioning Gabbard about legislation she introduced in 2020 that would repeal Section 702. However, Gabbard now appears to be walking that back, citing Fourth Amendment protections implemented since then to prevent the incidental collection of Americans\u2019 data.\u201d \u2022 Looks like some Republicans love spooks just as much as Democrats do.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow Trump Came Around to Crypto \u2014 and What Crypto Wants in Return\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/JiAEo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Bloomberg<\/a>]. \u201cTrump nominated crypto supporter Paul Atkins to replace Gensler, and that announcement helped Bitcoin climb above $100,000 for the first time. The president-elect nominated David Sacks to the newly created position of artificial intelligence and crypto czar. Trump is also creating a crypto advisory group, made up of backers of the industry. Trump said in a December Truth Social post that Bo Hines will be the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, reporting to Sacks. Trump said he plans to have the US government keep rather than sell Bitcoin holdings seized by law enforcement, making these assets the basis of a so-called strategic Bitcoin stockpile. Trump has also said he would like all Bitcoin to be mined in the US; this promise may prove difficult to fulfill due to the reality of decentralized networks and cheaper costs of energy in other parts of the world.\u201d \u2022 \u201cStrategic Bitcoin\u201d my Sweet Aunt Fanny.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Lawfare<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"11.891156462585\">\n<p>\u201cTrump sentenced to unconditional discharge in New York hush money case, avoiding jail\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/01\/10\/trump-sentencing-new-york-hush-money-case.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNBC<\/a>]. \u201cPresident-elect Donald Trump was sentenced without any penalties Friday in his New York criminal hush money case, 10 days before his inauguration for a second White House term. Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to \u201cunconditional discharge,\u201d meaning no jail, no probation and no fine.\u201d \u2022 Entirely appropriate for Hitler!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Democrats <em>en d\u00e9shabill\u00e9<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"20.150034891835\">\n<p>\u201cOpening the DNC\u2019s Black Box\u201d [Micah Sifrey, <a href=\"https:\/\/prospect.org\/politics\/2025-01-10-opening-dncs-black-box\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The American Prospect<\/a>]. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/dnc-chair-jaime-harrison-sets-out-first-steps-in-process-for-electing-incoming-chair-dnc-officers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">According to the DNC<\/a>, there are 448 active members of the national committee, including 200 elected members from 57 states, territories, and Democrats Abroad; members representing 16 affiliate groups; and 73 \u2018at-large\u2019 members who were elected as a slate appointed in 2021 by the party chairman, Jaime Harrison. For a party that claims the word \u2018democratic\u2019 and insists that it is a champion of transparency and accountability in government, the official roster of these 448 voters is not public. Michael Kapp, a DNC member from California who was first elected to that position by his state party\u2019s executive committee in 2016, told me the list isn\u2019t public \u2018because it\u2019s the DNC\u2014it\u2019s a black box.\u2019 He told me that leadership holds tightly to the list to prevent any organizing beyond their control. Today, we\u2019re going to open up the DNC\u2019s black box. The list <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1bQKIP3W1NWChRjSbsE0O5k5s7OdgXrJi5-CMfFECIBU\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">we are publishing<\/a> was leaked to me by a trusted source with long experience with the national party. Like Kapp, this person thinks it\u2019s absurd that the party\u2019s roster of voting members is secret. Indeed, since there is no official public list, each of the candidates running for chair and other positions has undoubtedly had to create their own tallies from scratch\u2014making it very likely our list comes from a candidate\u2019s whip operation.\u201d \u2022 Anyone we know?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Realignment and Legitimacy<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"13.770689655172\">\n<p>\u201cThe Unstoppable Rise of Energy Realism\u201d [Ruy Teixeira, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.liberalpatriot.com\/p\/the-unstoppable-rise-of-energy-realism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Liberal Patriot<\/a>]. \u201cFor the last decade, Democrats and the left have ever more eagerly embraced a climate catastrophist narrative on energy policy\u2026. So what have the Democrats gained from their fervent advocacy for climate catastrophism? Not much\u2026. Nor have Democrats been rewarded with a political bonanza for their embrace of climate catastrophism. Quite the contrary. They just lost the presidential election to an opponent who says \u201cdrill, baby, drill\u201d and whose priority is cheap, abundant energy\u2014not clean energy\u2026. Can Democrats wean themselves away from climate catastrophism and their obsession with net zero? It could be difficult. Their net zero commitment stems from the extremely high priority placed on this goal by the educated elites and activists who now dominate the party. These elites and activists\u2014unlike working-class voters\u2014believe that nothing is more important than stopping global warming since it is not just a problem, but an \u2018existential crisis\u2019 that must be confronted as rapidly as possible to prevent a global apocalypse.\u201d \u2022 Much to ponder.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Syndemics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am in earnest \u2014 I will not equivocate \u2014 I will not excuse \u2014 I will not retreat a single inch \u2014 AND I WILL BE HEARD.\u201d \u2013William Lloyd Garrison<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Covid Resources, United States (National): Transmission (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#county-view?list_select_state=all_states&list_select_county=all_counties&data-type=Risk&null=Risk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>); Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>, <del><a href=\"https:\/\/biobot.io\/data\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Biobot<\/a><\/del>; includes many counties; <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wastewater Scan<\/a>, includes drilldown by zip); Variants (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/businesssolutions\/covid-19-index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a>); \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/iowacovid19tracker.org\/hospitals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Iowa COVID-19 Tracker<\/a>\u201d (in IA, but national data). \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/icemsg.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Infection Control, Emergency Management, Safety, and General Thoughts<\/a>\u201d (especially on hospitalization by city).<\/p>\n<p>Lambert here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To update any entry, do feel free to contact me at the address given with the plants. Please put \u201cCOVID\u201d in the subject line. Thank you!<\/p>\n<p>Resources, United States (Local): AK (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/af2efc8bffbf4cdc83c2d1a134354074\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/6d2771faa9da4a2786a509d82c8cf0f7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AR (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/633006d0782b4544bd5113a314f6268a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AZ (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azdhs.gov\/covid19\/data\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); CA (<a href=\"https:\/\/skylab.cdph.ca.gov\/calwws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.marinhhs.org\/surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Marin, dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/healthalerts.stanford.edu\/covid-19\/wastewater-dashboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Stanford, wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/?v=SC2_N&l=Oakland%2C+CA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Oakland, wastewater<\/a>); CO (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.colorado.gov\/data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/d79cf93c3938470ca4bcc4823328946b#utility=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); CT (<a href=\"https:\/\/data.ct.gov\/stories\/s\/COVID-19-data\/wa3g-tfvc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); DE (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.delaware.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); FL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/5b9d75ba683849928dc1a49c39ab0b1c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); GA (<a href=\"https:\/\/dph.georgia.gov\/ga-nwss-wastewater-surveillance-reports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); HI (<a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); IA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmmwra.org\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=57\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater reports<\/a>); ID (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Boise; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/?plantId=1056f05c-0e46-4e3d-b007-c0453ba7dc0d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Central Idaho; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/#:SARS-CoV-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Coeur d\u2019Alene; dashboard, <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.srhd.org\/topics\/spokane-county-case-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Spokane County<\/a>); IL (<a href=\"https:\/\/iwss.uillinois.edu\/wastewater-treatment-plants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); IN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.in.gov\/indiana-covid-19-dashboard-and-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); KS (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov\/160\/COVID-19-in-Kansas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/4456bae8a38f4b6180e008477382fff9\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Lawrence); KY (<a href=\"https:\/\/louisville.edu\/envirome\/thecoimmunityproject\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Louisville); LA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ldh.la.gov\/coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/covid-19-wastewater-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MD (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.maryland.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); ME (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/dhhs\/mecdc\/infectious-disease\/epi\/airborne\/coronavirus\/data.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/coronavirus\/stats\/wastewater-surveillance\/dashboard\/sentinel-wastewater-epidemiology-evaluation-project-sweep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/gisportal.state.mi.us\/portal\/apps\/insights\/index.html#\/view\/52bbb104ed574887918f990af9f3debe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/diseases\/coronavirus\/stats\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MO (<a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/f7f5492486114da6b5d6fdc07f81aacf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MS (<a href=\"https:\/\/msdh.ms.gov\/page\/14,0,420.html#Mississippi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>MT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/MapSeries\/index.html?appid=7c34f3412536439491adcc2103421d4b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; NC (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.ncdhhs.gov\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard)<\/a>; ND (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NE (<a href=\"https:\/\/atlas-dhhs.ne.gov\/Atlas\/Respiratory_Illness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NH (<a href=\"https:\/\/wisdom.dhhs.nh.gov\/wisdom\/dashboard.html?topic=covid-19&subtopic=recurring-updates&indicator=covid-19-wastewater#tabnavbarid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NJ (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.nj.gov\/forms\/datadashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NM (<a href=\"https:\/\/cvprovider.nmhealth.org\/public-dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NV (<a href=\"https:\/\/nvhealthresponse.nv.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/empower.unlv.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Southern NV); NY (<a href=\"https:\/\/mbcolli.shinyapps.io\/SARS2EWSP\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OH (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.ohio.gov\/dashboards\/other-resources\/wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OK (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/51657c21386d4f1a962b1853c76ec589\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>OR (<a href=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/app\/profile\/oregon.health.authority.covid.19\/viz\/OregonsCOVID-19DataDashboards-TableofContents\/TableofContentsStatewide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; PA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.pa.gov\/topics\/disease\/coronavirus\/pages\/Cases.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); RI (<a href=\"https:\/\/ri-department-of-health-covid-19-data-rihealth.hub.arcgis.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SC (<a href=\"https:\/\/scdhec.gov\/index.php\/covid19\/covid-19-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SD (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.sd.gov\/COVID\/Dashboard.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tn.gov\/health\/cedep\/ncov\/data.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TX (<a href=\"https:\/\/txdshsea.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/4ae43eefd0f641d59d35c3df82ee59cc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); UT (<a href=\"https:\/\/avrpublic.dhhs.utah.gov\/uwss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); VA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/coronavirus\/sars-cov-2-in-wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); VT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthvermont.gov\/disease-control\/covid-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WA (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.wa.gov\/emergencies\/covid-19\/data-dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.bfhd.wa.gov\/cases-and-roadmap-to-recovery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.wisconsin.gov\/covid-19\/wastewater.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); WV (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/oehs.wvdhhr.org\/news\/oehs-coivd-19-information\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>); WY (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/covidwastewatermonitor.wyo.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/health-infobase.canada.ca\/covid-19\/wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Government of Canada<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publichealthontario.ca\/en\/Data-and-Analysis\/Infectious-Disease\/COVID-19-Data-Surveillance\/Wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); QC (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspq.qc.ca\/covid-19\/donnees\/eaux-usees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><em>les eaux us\u00e9es<\/em><\/a>); BC (<a href=\"https:\/\/bccdc.shinyapps.io\/respiratory_wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); BC, Vancouver (<a href=\"https:\/\/metrovancouver.org\/services\/liquid-waste\/testing-for-the-covid-19-virus-in-wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Hat tips to helpful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, KF, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, thump, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3). <\/p>\n<p>Stay safe out there!<\/p>\n<p> Airborne Transmission<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"17.553524804178\">\n<p>\u201cScience tells us that portable air filters reduce infections. It\u2019s time for public health authorities to make this clear\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1876034124003848?utm_campaign=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&utm_medium=email&utm_acid=102522945&SIS_ID=&dgcid=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&CMX_ID=&utm_in=DM534787&utm_source=AC_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Journal of Infection and Public Health<\/a>]. \u201cOver the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian public health advisors and decision-makers have shared conflicted and confusing messages about the effectiveness of portable air filters (PAFs) in controlling the spread of airborne infectious diseases\u2026 Diseases such as COVID-19 are transmitted through respiratory particles that contain infectious material. If these particles come in contact with the mucous membranes of a susceptible individual, there is a risk of infection. In general, there is a dose-response relationship\u2014the more infectious material in the air, the greater the risk of infection. Thus, any mitigation measures that remove these particles from the air (or inactivate infectious materials) will reduce the risk of transmission\u2026 This science is supported by decades of research and public health and health care practice demonstrating the effectiveness of PAFs in reducing the transmission of airborne diseases\u2026. While evidence demonstrates that filtration reduces concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the air, this research should not have been required by public health authorities before implementation. PAFs, like other engineering interventions such as seat belts, parachutes and bridges, are designed and evaluated according to the laws of physics.\u201d \u2022 Savage indictment of public health and hospital infection control,<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Morbidity and Mortality<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"21.153499795334\">\n<p><a name=\"mortality\"\/>\u201cThe future of excess mortality after COVID-19\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.swissre.com\/institute\/research\/topics-and-risk-dialogues\/health-and-longevity\/covid-19-pandemic-synonymous-excess-mortality.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Swiss Re Institute<\/a>]. \u201cFour years on from the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, many countries worldwide still report elevated deaths in their populations. This impact appears generally independent of healthcare systems and population health. This trend is evident even after accounting for shifting population sizes, and the range of reporting mechanisms and death classifications that make inter-country comparisons complex. There is also likely a degree of excess mortality under-reporting\u2026. This represents a potential challenge for Life and Health (L&H) insurance, with potentially several years of elevated mortality claims ahead, depending on how general population trends translate into the insured population. Ongoing excess mortality can have implications for L&H insurance claims and reserves. Excess mortality that continues to exceed current expectations may affect the long-term performance of in-force life portfolios as well as the pricing of new life policies.\u201d And: \u201cOur general population forecasts suggest that excess mortality will gradually tail off by 2033, to 0\u20133% in the US and 0\u20132.5% in the UK. In comparison, by our calculation excess mortality in 2023 was in the range of 3\u20137% for the US, and 5\u20138% in the UK. Under an optimistic scenario, we find that US and UK pandemic-linked excess mortality would disappear by 2028, reverting to pre-pandemic mortality expectations. Under a pessimistic scenario, we expect excess mortality to remain elevated until 2033, above pre-pandemic expectations.\u201d \u2022 Handy chart:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"2.9417040358744\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"8.0896860986547\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">How the Pandemic Increased US Deaths!<br \/>Visualized in 8 charts by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jwgale\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@jwgale<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@business<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>1. The Covid Pandemic Fueled a 4-Year Mortality Surge in the US <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/H6CW6ya0sO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/H6CW6ya0sO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ziyad Al-Aly, MD (@zalaly) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zalaly\/status\/1873526791148818483\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">December 30, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMortality in First Eight Months of 2024 2% Higher Than Predicted\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.actuaries.digital\/2024\/12\/17\/mortality-in-first-eight-months-of-2024-2-higher-than-predicted\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Actuaries Digital<\/a>]. Australia. The Abstract:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>In summary<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li>For the first eight months of 2024, against a baseline that includes anticipated COVID-19 deaths:\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li>total mortality was 2% higher than predicted;<\/li>\n<li>COVID-19 mortality was 70% higher than predicted;<\/li>\n<li>Non-COVID respiratory mortality was 8% higher than predicted, with pneumonia deaths 14% higher; and<\/li>\n<li>these outcomes are all statistically significant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>There have been five deaths from COVID-19 for every death from influenza.<\/li>\n<li>Mortality from non-respiratory causes has been close to predicted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Elite Maleficence<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"7.4752066115702\">\n<p>Mandy Cohen visits Nassau County:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"3.7840909090909\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"10.090909090909\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u23ea to when I visited a wastewater facility in Nassau County in November 2023. Learn more about how this tool helps us better understand & track diseases at the local level \ud83d\udc47 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/y9vqEGkW0R\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/y9vqEGkW0R<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CDCDirector\/status\/1877777575197495404\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m happy Cohen gave wastewater testing some needed publicity, but this would have been a good time to wear a mask as a sign of resistance to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2024\/08\/mask-bans-slowly-spread-cough-cough-in-states-and-localities.html\">Nassau County\u2019s anti-masking ordinance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"table\"\/><strong>TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody wp_automatic_readability=\"11.371916508539\">\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Wastewater<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.625\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> This week[1] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 30<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Last week[2] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> (until next week):<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284945\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-300x187.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" style=\"align: left; margin-left: 0px !important; padding: 9px 0 9px 0;\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6619718309859\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong> Variants<\/strong> [3] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 21<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> <strong>Emergency Room Visits<\/strong>[4] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#trends_select_7dayeddiagnosed_00\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1-300x177.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ed-natl-300x159.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Hospitalization<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.8139534883721\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> New York[5] <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.health.ny.gov\/daily-hospitalization-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York State<\/a>, data January 9:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> National [6] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/covidnetdashboard\/de\/powerbi\/dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> Janurary 9, 2005:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalizatinon-nyc-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalizaiton-natl-287x300.png 287w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Positivity<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"2.5294117647059\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> National[7] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/healthcare-solutions\/covid-19-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a> January 6:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Ohio[8] <a href=\"https:\/\/clevelandcliniclabs.com\/respiratory-virus-surveillance-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Cleveland Clinic<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"340\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-1-300x170.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"428\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-1-300x214.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Travelers Data<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6417910447761\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> <span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Positivity[9] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 23:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Variants[10] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Deaths<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.7735849056604\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronadisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> January 4:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl-300x182.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-285312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed-300x184.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<td wp_automatic_readability=\"185.25162868082\">\n<p><strong>LEGEND<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1) <span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> for charts new today; all others are not updated.<\/p>\n<p>2) For a full-size\/full-resolution image, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Windows) on the chart thumbnail and \u201copen image in new tab.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[1] (CDC) Seeing more red and more orange, but nothing new at major hubs. <\/p>\n<p>[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n<p>[3] (CDC Variants) XEC takes over. That WHO label, \u201cOmmicron,\u201d has done a great job normalizing successive waves of infection.<\/p>\n<p>[4] (ED) A little uptick.<\/p>\n<p>[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Definitely jumped.<\/p>\n<p>[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[8] (Cleveland) Continued upward trend since, well, Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[10] (Travelers: Variants). Positivity is new, but variants have not yet been released.<\/p>\n<p>[11] Deaths low, positivity leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[12] Deaths low, ED leveling out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stats Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Employment Situation: \u201cUnited States Unemployment Rate\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/tradingeconomics.com\/united-states\/unemployment-rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Trading Economics<\/a>]. \u201cThe unemployment rate in the United States went down to 4.1% in December of 2024 from 4.2% in the previous month, below market expectations of 4.2%.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cFAA says up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aerotime.aero\/articles\/faa-airworthiness-directive-boeing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Aerotime<\/a>]. \u201cThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections as part of an Airworthiness Directive (AD). The AD, issued on January 8, 2025, raised concerns over landing gear on US-registered 767-200s, 767-300s and 767-300 Freighters following an incident during maintenance. According to the FAA, the AD was \u2018prompted by a report of a main landing gear (MLG) collapse event following maintenance where a grinder was operating outside of its input parameters, resulting in possible heat damage to the outer cylinder of the MLG.’\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cAirbus Tops Rival Boeing with 766 Jet Deliveries in 2024\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/reuters\/airbus-tops-rival-boeing-with-766-jet-deliveries-in-2024\/91105637\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Inc<\/a>]. \u201cAirbus delivered 766 jets in 2024 and looked certain to maintain leadership of the jetmaking industry for a sixth year as arch-rival Boeing recovers cautiously from a prolonged internal crisis, company data showed.\u201d But importantly: \u201cAerospace supply chains have been under pressure due in part to an exodus of experienced workers during the pandemic, with aviation competing with other sectors to recruit new labour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tech: \u201cPredictions Scorecard, 2025 January 01\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/rodneybrooks.com\/predictions-scorecard-2025-january-01\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Rodney Brooks<\/a>]. Fun stuff. Here is a handy chart of failed predictions for robot cars:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"311\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/driverless-300x156.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Legend: Dates in parens: When prediction was made. Dates in blue: When prediction will come true. Pink shading: Wrong prediction. Orange arrow: retraction. <\/p>\n<p>And the kicker:<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"11\">\n<p>Pro tip: Think about this history of industry prognostications about fully autonomous driving being just around the corner when you read today\u2019s prognostications about LLMs taking jobs, en masse, in the next couple of years, or humanoid robots being dirt cheap and being able to learn how to do any human manual task real real soon now. You know you have seen this movie before\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Very much worth reading in full (The author is <a href=\"https:\/\/people.csail.mit.edu\/brooks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Panasonic Professor of Robotics emeritus<\/a> at MIT).<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s Fear & Greed Index: 28 Fear (previous close: 32 Fear) [<a href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/data\/fear-and-greed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNN<\/a>]. One week ago: 33 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Jan 10 at 3:28:04 PM ET.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"zeitgeist\"\/><strong>Zeitgeist Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thank you, Mr. Presidents:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"1.3461538461538\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.3076923076923\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s over for Gavin <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kTPAOU96uA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/kTPAOU96uA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1877743988112777442\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Lord knows I hold no brief for California Democrats (\u201cEverything is like CalPERS\u201d). But this is so over-the-top my tendency is to discount any Republican coverage of the California fires to zero. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia wildfires: Police shoot down celebrities floating arson theories\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/california-wildfires-police-shoot-down-celebrities-floating-arson-theories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">FOX<\/a>]. \u201c\u2018THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,\u2019 actor Henry Winkler wrote on Wednesday on X. \u2018May you be beaten you unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!\u2019 Actress Alison Sweeney simply responded, \u2018agreed.\u2019 Singer Chris Brown took to his Instagram stories on Thursday and wrote, \u2018Someone starting these fires. S\u2014 don\u2019t add up.\u2019 \u2018Dancing with the Stars\u2019 pro Peta Murgatroyd shared a tweet that was originally posted by political and cultural media personality Xaviaer DuRousseau that reads: \u2018LOS ANGELES \/ SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE MEN GOING AROUND IN SKI MASKS STARTING FIRES. KEEP AN EYE OUT.\u201d But: \u201cDespite the various claims, the Los Angeles Police Department told Fox News Digital, \u201cWe have not received any reports of arson.’\u201d \u2022 I don\u2019t know why we\u2019d believe actors on this, any more than, say, mainstream economists (of whom, see below). Then again\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHomeless man with \u2018flamethrower\u2019 busted on suspicion of arson near LA\u2019s Kenneth Fire after residents detain him\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/09\/us-news\/kenneth-fire-in-west-hollywood-hills-being-probed-as-arson-1-in-custody-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Post<\/a>]. \u201cOne witness told Fox 11 that the suspect was \u2018very focused on moving forward\u2019 with what the described as being more like a blowtorch. \u2018He was like, \u2018I can\u2019t stop. I can\u2019t stop. I\u2019m not putting this down. I\u2019m doing this,\u201d the witness said. \u2018And we\u2019re like, \u2018We can\u2019t be doing that right now.’\u201d So a citizens arrest is performed: \u201cSoon after the suspect was taken into custody, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed it was investigating the Kenneth Fire as likely arson. \u2018At this time, that\u2019s what we believe. It\u2019s being investigated as a crime,\u2019 LAPD Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse initially told KTLA. The major crimes squad was brought in because he was \u2018a possible arson suspect,\u2019 LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi told reporters in an update later Friday. However, the homeless man had so-far only been arrested on a felony parole violation because \u2018there was not enough probable cause to arrest this person on arson or suspicion on arson,\u2019 Choi said. \u2018This investigation is ongoing, however,\u2019 he stressed, thanking the citizens who tackled him and called it in. It was not immediately clear what felony the suspect, who has still yet to be publicly identified, was on parole for.\u201d \u2022 So, the Kenneth fire, and I imagine that Winkler, et al., are thinking of the Palisades fire. That said, my priors did kick in. Reinforced as they constantly are\u2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEconomists Are in the Wilderness. Can They Find a Way Back to Influence?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/01\/10\/business\/economy\/economists-politics-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.oE4.6jlt.KRS65--CQgjV&smid=url-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Times<\/a>]. \u2022 Never have I felt happier to know of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Betteridge\u2019s Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"class\"\/><strong>Class Warfare<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Labor Movement Just Notched Two Big Wins\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/politics\/the-labor-movement-just-notched-two-big-wins\/ar-BB1rdEmO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The New Republic<\/a>]. \u201cOne so seldom has the opportunity to report good news about labor unions that when two good things happen in the space of 24 hours that\u2019s a triumph. The first is a rebuke to the incoming Trump administration. The second is an unacknowledged favor to it (but, more importantly, to the nation as well). Item One is that the Service Employees International Union, reversing a bad decision 20 years ago to disaffiliate with the AFL-CIO, is rejoining the labor federation. Even Andy Stern, who as SEIU president took the union out of the AFL-CIO and sought (in the end, unsuccessfully) to build a rival federation called Change to Win with the Teamsters and five smaller unions, said Wednesday that this is \u2018an appropriate time to unite SEIU\u2019s strength with other unions.\u2019 The move will expand AFL-CIO membership from nearly 13 million to nearly 15 million. (Change to Win was a bust. It lost most of its affiliates, stopped calling itself a labor federation, and now operates as something called the Strategic Organizing Center.) Item Two is that the International Longshoremen\u2019s Association, or ILA, which represents dockworkers on the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, reached a deal on a new contract, averting a second dockworker strike. The first strike, in October, lasted three days before a wage deal was reached under heavy pressure on management from the Biden White House, with further negotiations postponed until after the presidential election.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cInmates Can Make Up Nearly A Third Of Those Fighting California Fires\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/dougmelville\/2025\/01\/09\/inmates-makes-up-nearly-a-third-of-those-fighting-la-fires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Forbes<\/a>]. \u201cWhile the 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States, a loophole allows people convicted of crimes to be forced to work for public or private enterprises. In this case, those tasked with firefighting volunteer for those positions and must meet certain criteria. They are not assigned without their consent. Their pay scale was doubled in 2023, and depending on the skill level and the task assigned, they either receive $0.16 to $0.74 an hour or a maximum day rate of $5.80 to $10.24. Most of their lunches consist of a simple sandwich\u2014two pieces of white bread with a few slices of bologna\u2014plus an apple. Their daily food budget of approximately $4 per day is hardly enough to sustain them for their high volume of manual labor. Incarcerated firefighters have some of the highest injury rates among all prison workers and are four times more likely to sustain injuries compared to other firefighters. Also, they work some of the longest hours and have some of the hardest tasks to execute. They don\u2019t shoot water hoses; they use powered chainsaws and manual hand tools, such as axes, with the goal of starving the fire of fuel to continue to burn.\u201d But: \u201cDuring the most recent U.S. election, California voters rejected Proposition 6, a ballot measure that would have banned forced labor in state prisons.\u201d \u2022 What really bugs me is that the prisoners, having paid their debt to society <em>are then barred from becoming firefighters<\/em>. That\u2019s insane.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"wired\"\/><strong>News of the Wired<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cScientists mystified by massive structures found deep beneath the Pacific Ocean\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/studyfinds.org\/massive-structures-deep-beneath-pacific-ocean-mantle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">StudyFinds<\/a>]. \u201cMiles beneath the Pacific Ocean, in a region of Earth\u2019s mantle where conventional wisdom says nothing unusual should exist, scientists have discovered something extraordinary. Using innovative technology to analyze seismic waves, researchers have identified massive structures that challenge fundamental theories about how our planet formed and evolved. It\u2019s as if we\u2019ve discovered a new geological continent \u2013 not on Earth\u2019s surface, but deep within it.\u201d \u2022\u00a0R\u2019lyeh?<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Contact information for plants<\/strong>: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-9-2025.html\">here<\/a>. From JennyBesserit:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"694\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-285309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/red_and_yellow-259x300.jpeg 259w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>JennyBesserit writes: \u201cFall vines, Portland, Maine.\u201d Since readers like yesterday\u2019s red leaves so much\u2026.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"donate\"\/><strong>Readers<\/strong>: Water Cooler is a standalone entity <em>not<\/em> covered by the annual NC fundraiser. Material here is Lambert\u2019s, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. If you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldn\u2019t see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! <em>Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I\u2019m on the right track with coverage<\/em>. When I get no donations for three or four days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:<\/p>\n<p>Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-226891\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"606\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png 606w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution-300x190.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!<\/p>\n<div class=\"printfriendly pf-alignleft\"><a href=\"#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF & Email\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none;-webkit-box-shadow:none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow:none; padding:0; margin:0\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.printfriendly.com\/buttons\/print-button-gray.png\" alt=\"Print Friendly, PDF & Email\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .entry-content --><\/p>\n<footer class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\tThis entry was posted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/guest-post\" rel=\"category tag\">Guest Post<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/water-cooler\" rel=\"category tag\">Water Cooler<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-10-2025.html\" title=\"2:00 pm\" rel=\"bookmark\"><time class=\"entry-date updated\" datetime=\"2025-01-10T14:00:37-05:00\">January 10, 2025<\/time><\/a><span class=\"by-author\"> by <span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/author\/lambert-strether\" title=\"View all posts by Lambert Strether\" rel=\"author\">Lambert Strether<\/a><\/span><\/span>.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-info\" wp_automatic_readability=\"20.197005056398\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-avatar --><\/p>\n<div class=\"author-description\" wp_automatic_readability=\"35.467911318553\">\n<h2>About Lambert Strether<\/h2>\n<p>Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (\u201cBecause markets\u201d). I don\u2019t much care about the \u201cism\u201d that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don\u2019t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. <br \/>\n <br \/>\nTo me, the key issue \u2014 and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me \u2014 is the tens of thousands of excess \u201cdeaths from despair,\u201d as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics \u2014 even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton\u2019s wars created \u2014 bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow \u2014 currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press \u2014 a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let\u2019s call such voices \u201cthe left.\u201d Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn\u2019t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I\u2019ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-link\t-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-description -->\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-info --><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- .entry-meta --><br \/>\n\t<!-- #post --><\/p>\n<nav class=\"nav-single\">\n<h3 class=\"assistive-text\">Post navigation<\/h3>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-previous list-posts-older\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/in-2025-states-will-flip-the-script-on-taxes-to-make-the-wealthy-pay-their-fair-share.html\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"meta-nav\">\u2190<\/span> \u201cIn 2025, States Will Flip the Script on Taxes to Make the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share\u201d<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-next list-posts-newer\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/nav>\n<p><!-- .nav-single --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #comments .comments-area --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #content --><br \/>\n<!-- #primary --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #secondary --><\/p>\n<footer id=\"colophon\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- .site-info --><br \/>\n\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- #colophon --><br \/>\n\t\t<!-- #main.wrapper --><br \/>\n<!-- #page --><br \/>\n<!-- .mobile-menu-wrap --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Blog Reader Pooling - removed 09\/16\/2015 by M. 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Bird Song of the Day Brown Thrasher, Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary, Frederick, Maryland, United States. \u201cVery liquid sound to this<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-spotlight"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}